


Hope and Regret

by TheNyghtRaven



Category: Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic
Genre: Angst and Feels, Betrayal, Complicated Relationships, Difficult Sith Lords, F/M, Sith Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 13:18:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 44,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12960048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNyghtRaven/pseuds/TheNyghtRaven
Summary: Things don't go quite as planned for the Jedi strike team and Bastila as they attempt to stop Revan. Instead, the young Jedi begins to see a different side of the Dark Lord of the Sith, and Revan realizes his plans sometime can be complicated by things he wasn't expecting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted elsewhere and very much AU in that it pretty much ignores the canon story of what happened to Revan. It's also one of my more ambitious works, and I really do want to continue it at some point. However, life happened and I've somewhat lost my inspiration and motivation for it right now. In time that may change and I'll come back to this and finish it. Until the, I hope you enjoy it for what it is.

The life we lead, the path we walk  
the journey we take, the choices we make  
all conspire to make us who we are.  
With each step, we affect those around us.  
Hope and regret walk side by side.

 

_Showers of sparks surrounded him as the twin sabers in his hands hummed and hissed against those of his opponents. Five Jedi pressed in around him, each seeking to penetrate his defenses. A low growl echoed in his throat and his eyes blazed with fury behind his mask. Around him he could sense the entire bridge crew watching, waiting to see if their Lord would fall to the Jedi._

_A sudden explosion knocked him off balance. His mind reeled as he tried to reason the cause, but pain surged through his body. The scent of smoke mingled with that of his own blood as he collapsed to the floor. Just the thought of breathing became excruciating, and he felt the darkness of oblivion closing in upon his vision. A face hovered above him and for a brief moment the pain subsided enough for him to focus on that face. It was that of a young woman with brown hair in short braids. Her hair was slightly disheveled from the fight, and her grey eyes filled with compassion. The pain surged again, obliterating everything else from his mind._

Revan woke, a flash of panic gripping him. He sat up and his cold blue eyes darted around the room. Sweat beaded on his face, his breathing rapid as his mind struggled to regain control. He closed his eyes tightly, and gradually his breathing slowed and reason returned. It had been a vision, not a nightmare. Of that much, at least, he was certain. The nightmares often kept him from sleeping, but they no longer frightened him. This vision, however, had disturbed him.

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked around the room again, as if to reassure himself of his surroundings. He was still in his quarters on the Star Forge. The images of his vision were seared into his thoughts as his mind went over them again. In the vision he clearly recognized the bridge of his flagship, the _Dark Vengeance_. But Jedi attacking him on his own ship? How could that happen? He shook his head as he tried to piece the puzzle together. The Force had sent him the vision for a reason. What had caused the explosion? Revan’s fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white. “Malak,” he hissed.

The explosions Revan had seen were the turbolaser blasts from Malak’s ship firing on _his_ bridge. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle began to fit into place. Revan was very rarely caught by surprise. _Rarely_ , he grudgingly admitted to himself. He had been caught by surprise once. The man who had been his friend for many years, and had become his apprentice toward the end of the Mandalorian War had managed to catch him off guard. His memories of that night resurfaced.

_The power of the Star Forge was his after a long journey piecing together the star maps. Revan managed to keep control of himself, vowing to use the dark side but never to let it consume him. However, Malak was not as strong, and the darkness began to swallow him. Revan knew the way of the Sith and knew that Malak would likely challenge him for supremacy at some point._

_Revan’s mistake had been in not seeing it coming so soon. He had not expected his friend and apprentice to fall so far so fast. When Malak rushed at him with his lightsaber ignited, the Master was forced to accept the challenge._

“ _You are a weak fool, Revan! You deny the full power that is at your fingertips. You do not deserve the title of Dark Lord.”_

_Revan bristled, scowling beneath his mask. “No, Malak, you are the fool. You have given your soul to the dark side. It uses you. I remain Master because I do not allow anything or anyone to control me.”_

_The command center of the Star Forge crackled with tension as the two clashed, sabers hissing and sparking against each other. Malak had the advantage in brute strength and height. Revan was a bit shorter but made up for it in speed and agility. Revan preferred the more aggressive and agile lightsaber forms, and Malak quickly began to falter against the faster attacks._

_The end came when Revan’s saber slipped past Malak’s defenses. The apprentice fell as Revan’s crimson saber sliced through his lower jaw, removing it completely. Malak writhed in pain, blood beginning to pool around him where he had fallen. Malak reached up one hand to the source of his excruciating pain. Where his chin had once been, his hand met only a torrent of blood. Revan started to step forward, intending to end his apprentice’s life. Memories of the friendship they once shared seeped through the haze of darkness and anger that swirled through his mind and Revan’s saber hesitated, hovering above Malak. With a disgusted sigh, Revan stepped back. He ordered soldiers to take his apprentice to the infirmary and to see that Malak survived his lesson._

Revan shook his head to clear away the ghosts of his past. He knew that the injury and being left to live with it had only fueled Malak’s hatred and anger towards him. Malak’s actions recently had proven to Revan that he had not learned his lesson. Instead, Malak seemed to be falling ever deeper into the darkness. It did not bother him that it was certain Malak would try again if he ever saw an opening; Revan expected it. Now the Force had given Revan a vision, and Malak’s choice of betrayal was clear.

Revan slipped out of his bed, emotions raging through his mind in a chaotic storm. He began pacing, letting his mind work through the vision once more. It made sense. If he was fighting a team of Jedi on his own ship, of course it would leave him vulnerable to an attack from his apprentice. It would present the perfect opening, one too beautiful for Malak to resist. But how would Malak know? Revan knew the Force well enough to realize there were no coincidences. That meant Malak would have to get a spy on Revan’s ship. His thoughts puzzled at how a Jedi strike team could accomplish boarding his flagship. He prided himself on his defenses and security.

He stopped dead, his body motionless. “Pride,” he muttered. More pieces of the puzzle clicked together. “Pride is the flag of fools, as is overconfidence.” Had he truly become so absorbed in his plans that he missed something so obvious? His mind began analyzing the last few battles in his war. Resuming his restless pacing, he berated himself for the flaws he only now saw. “Yes, you’ve gotten careless. Too sure of yourself, arrogant fool.”

Revan shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Very well, forewarned is forearmed. Malak will try to betray me. That I can fix.” He smirked as he considered the scope of the Star Forge’s power. “The Republic is another matter, and a strike team is an unusual move for the Council. I think it is time that my spies earn their keep.”

*********

Going over the numerous reports that he had gotten from his network of spies, Revan searched for clues to the Republic’s plans. He was seated at the table in one of the meeting rooms on the Star Forge. Some of the spies had been close enough to deliver their reports in person. The rest had sent theirs via encrypted transmissions. Most interesting to him were the reports from Coruscant.

Suddenly he found what he was looking for, and more. The image that popped up on the monitor brought the last piece of his puzzle into place. A young woman with brown hair, in short braids with unmistakable grey eyes. He felt the breath catch in his chest as an image of the face from his vision superimposed itself over the image before him now, matching perfectly except in expression. Reading over the information accompanying the image, he smiled. “Padawan Bastila Shan, skilled in the art of Battle Meditation. So you were the thorn in my side in the last few battles.” The information indicated that she was only nineteen. He found it interesting that the Council would trust so much to one so young. Disturbed, he realized that he had not detected her Battle Meditation during the previous encounters. Could it be that her skill with the Force was truly strong enough to conceal her use of the Battle Meditation? Or had he simply been too focused on other things to notice it? Still, the thought gnawed at his mind and pointed to the potential for grave errors if he had continued to be unaware of it.

He used his spies, but never fully trusted them. His mind always wondered if they had lied to him or omitted some vital piece of information. Revan was aware that desperation often led to extreme tactics, and the Republic would try anything at this point. Still, if the reports were accurate, his spies had given him what he needed. The Republic and Jedi Council were indeed concocting a trap for him. A small Republic fleet would be acting as bait, seeking to draw him into battle, and to distract him while the Jedi strike team boarded his ship. A grim smile crossed his lips behind the mask. Traps could work both ways. Thanks to the warning his vision had given him, this time the hunted would become the hunter.

Reaching out with the Force, he touched the mind of his apprentice. _Malak._

_Yes, Master?_

_Ready my assault fleet, the Republic needs another lesson._

_As you wish, Master._

Revan leaned back in his chair, regarding the image of the Padawan once more. His fingers lightly caressed the image, “You are a pretty little pawn for such a dangerous game of Dejarik.” Standing, he turned the monitor off and slipped the data chips into his pocket. He left the room and headed for his quarters to prepare for the coming journey.

Within the hour, Revan’s assault fleet was assembled and ready for departure. Twenty-five capital ships, and many other smaller support ships and the full contingent of fighters jumped into hyperspace on Revan’s order. Malak remained unaware of his Master’s vision.

********

Revan’s thoughts were restless as he paced the raised walkway that formed the center of the bridge. The only sounds were the beeping of computer consoles and his footsteps as he walked. The bridge crew went about their work in silence, none daring to draw the attention of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Always in motion, his mind conjured a strange thought. He wondered when he had truly stopped feeling the almost claustrophobic stuffiness of his mask. He mentally swept the thought away; just another thing he had grown numb to over the years. The mask he wore served to keep those around him at arm’s length. If they could not read what he was thinking, the advantage would always be his. It also served another purpose. Behind that mask he could separate his true self from the Sith Lord he had become out of necessity. He had grown to loathe the masks he wore, both the real and the invisible.

Shrugging, he reminded himself that sacrifices were necessary. As long as the goal was achieved, it no longer mattered _how_ he did what needed to be done. He faced the central view port watching the blurred streaks of hyperspace. His arms folded over his chest, a comfortable pose that had become habit for him. Around him, he could feel the tension of his crew. Their surface thoughts provided a definite background buzz in his mind. Turning, he swept his eyes over them, and a wry grin twitched at the corner of his mouth as he felt many shift uncomfortably beneath his masked gaze. He resumed his pacing, another habit he noticed idly. He let his mind drift as he filtered through the thoughts of his crew.

The Captain of his personal guard stood close at hand, quiet readiness in his stance. He regarded the quiet, subtle power of his Lord’s presence and admired it. There was also a faint undercurrent of fear, though the middle aged soldier did well to control it.

The navigation officer fidgeted as he often did. He wondered where Revan was leading them this time. The coordinates the Dark Lord had given him were unfamiliar to him, and that worried him.

The ship’s Admiral, Davon Blair, stood quietly with his hands clasped behind his back and reflected on his orders. They had been vague, as usual, but he accepted that. He respected Revan’s power and would not question his authority or reasons.

Revan smiled slightly as his mind touched that of the sensor specialist, she had been a part of his crew since the Mandalorian War. Her relatively innocent mind was almost refreshing to Revan, although her adoration amused him. She was remembering the Battle of Althir, one of many victories Revan had handed the Republic. He turned his mind elsewhere while suppressing a chuckle. Somehow he didn’t remember that battle going so smoothly, despite the victory.

He turned his attention back to the view ports. His was a motley crew. Some were career veterans who had never known anything but the soldier’s life. Others were still fairly raw recruits, recently drafted to fill _vacancies_. Revan read the currents of their thoughts. Some admired or even respected him, others feared him, and a few blatantly hated him. However, they all served him. Behind the mask, the Sith Lord didn’t trust a single one of them. Betrayal was the way of the Sith, and ambition could strike at any time.

Ruefully, Revan remembered other battles. He had succeeded where the Republic’s finest had failed miserably. He had accomplished the utter defeat of the Mandalorians by slaying the Mandalore in combat, and then the culmination of the war… the Battle of Malachor V. Part of him regretted the necessity in that, the destruction of the planet and the catastrophic losses on both sides. He found it hypocritical that because of the devastation and brutality that ended a war, he had been hailed as a Hero of the Republic. _Hero_. The word left a vile taste in his mouth. He was no hero, not then, not now. He simply did what had to be done, regardless of the cost.

His musing returned to the upcoming battle. The Republic had been trying to stop him for two years while he continued his relentless advance through the Outer Rim worlds. Regardless of what they tried, Revan remained unstoppable. Now in a desperate ploy, they thought to catch him in a trap. He cautioned himself against overconfidence. A chill ran down his spine as the memory of the vision reminded him of the price of failure if he grew too careless.

He considered the possibilities of what would happen if he fell to the Jedi. Provided he survived; he knew that Jedi never executed prisoners, however the Republic might demand his death. If the Jedi had their way, most likely they would have him stripped of the Force and left as an exile. His jaws tightened. Death would be preferable to such a fate. Regardless, he knew that he could not allow himself to fail in this battle. He must accomplish his plans, and those plans did not include being killed or captured, especially by Jedi.

********

The Republic fleet dropped out of hyperspace. The grizzled Admiral wasn’t entirely keen on playing tag with a Sith Lord, and he hoped that the Jedi’s plan would work. His executive officer stepped up beside him. Her fiery red hair contradicted her steady, calm nature.

“The fleet is in position, Admiral Kern.”

He nodded, “Inform all ships to maintain formation.”

Suddenly alarms sounded and he shouted to his crew, “What’s going on?”

“Admiral, we have a large fleet dropping out of hyperspace about ten thousand clicks to starboard.”

“Can you bring up a visual yet?”

Admiral Kern was answered by the image of the oncoming fleet, and a shiver ran through him. Even for someone not sensitive to the Force, there was no mistaking the dark aura that hung around the lead ship of that fleet. “It’s Revan.”

He turned to the small Jedi Master, “Master Vandar, I have a bad feeling about this. We just got here and got in position, Revan must have found out about this plan. We have to retreat, if he knows we were planning a trap it will never work.”

Master Vandar sighed, shaking his head, “We must try, Admiral. We will not get another chance. Prepare your ships for the fight, and I will go instruct the strike team to be ready.”

He shook his head, but turned and nodded to the executive officer. She nodded grimly and went to carry out the orders.

********

As Revan’s fleet materialized back into real space, he gave the order to engage the Republic ships. His capital ships spread out into the standard formation and a veritable swarm of snub fighters rushed toward their targets. Behind the fighters, the more fearsome destroyers and cruisers closed in on their prey. Revan stood at the front of the bridge, watching the fleet’s maneuvers through the central view port.

He turned, catching his Admiral’s attention. Responding with a slight nod, the man moved to his Master’s side and fell into step with Revan as he walked. The pair remained silent until they crossed through the doors into the small room off of the bridge.

“Yes, Lord Revan?” Admiral Blair spoke as the door sealed behind them. His voice was calm and even, showing no hint of fear or nervousness. His once deep auburn hair was graying at the temples, lending to the look of wisdom in his face.

“I have suspicions.” Revan ‘s voice was equally calm, holding none of the icy venom he usually reserved for conversations with various minions.

The Admiral tensed slightly, but he kept his hazel eyes steady and waited for Revan to continue.

“I believe Malak is planning on betraying me and has placed a spy within my bridge crew.”

Even behind his mask, Revan’s cold glare was palpable. The Admiral swallowed hard. Surely Revan didn’t doubt his loyalty, not after all…? The Sith Lord waved one hand casually.

“No, relax Admiral; I know where _your_ loyalties lie. You’ve served me well since the Mandalorian Wars, one of few such who remain. However, one of the crew is a spy, and that displeases me. Are there particularly new additions to the bridge crew or anyone else that suggests disloyalty? Speak freely.”

The old officer nodded. He sighed as he remembered the excitement he once felt at the thought of battle. Now, it was just business as usual. “Navigation officer is always acting nervous, not sure if it is just because of your presence, Lord, or if he’s hiding something. The assistant helmsman and the communication officer are both new recruits, Sir. I’d wager a guess that if there’s a spy it’d be one of those three. If I may ask, Lord, do you have a suspicion about what Malak might be planning?”

Revan regarded Admiral Blair for a moment. The man had proven himself many times to be loyal, but also extremely talented, making him the ideal choice to command Revan’s flagship. Revan valued his experience and wisdom. “Davon,” he dropped the formality of the Admiral’s title. “I informed you that we were headed to intercept a Republic fleet.”

“Yes.” The older man shifted into an “at ease” stance. The abandonment of stiff formalities reflected the mutual respect between the two men.

“What I didn’t tell you before is that a Jedi strike team is going to be attempting to board the ship, and I intend to let them.”

Davon blinked; a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “Is that wise, Revan?” Suddenly worried that he might have overstepped himself, he bowed slightly. “Forgive me.”

Revan chuckled, raising one hand casually, “A valid question. In other circumstances, the answer in fact might be no. However, I believe this time, it is wise. I have made certain arrangements. My suspicion is that if Malak has a spy on board, they would let him know and he would see it as an opening to attack me, using his ship to fire on mine.”

Davon cleared his throat as he looked at Revan, “I see.” Aware of the shrewd, calculating mind behind the Sith Lord’s mask, he tilted his head, “I’m guessing you made arrangements for that as well?”

“An astute observation.” Amusement colored Revan’s voice.

The Admiral smiled slightly, “I do try. I’m getting older, but haven’t gone blind yet.”

Revan nodded and turned for the door to return to the bridge. “Thank you, Admiral.”

Recognizing the dismissal, the Admiral bowed, and returned to his customary position. From where he stood, he had a clear view of both the navigation and the communications officers. His brows furrowed slightly over what Lord Revan had told him. The more he thought about it, the more he realized the navigation officer lacked the backbone to even consider betraying Revan. He regarded the communications officer more closely. The young man had sandy blond hair, and had seemed rather promising as an officer at first glance. But the new officer’s confident smirk and determined dark eyes caught the Admiral’s attention. No doubt, Revan would also draw the same conclusion. It would be a shame to be replacing the communications officer again so soon; however, the Admiral was all too familiar with how Revan dealt with those who betrayed or failed him. Admiral Davon Blair stayed alive because he had no intention of ever doing either.

********

Jedi Master Jenna Kothari studied the members of her team as their small ship headed toward Revan’s flagship. Her soft brown eyes regarded them all, and she was filled with the sad knowledge that many might not return from this mission. She glanced over at the Padawan, Bastila Shan. Her brows furrowed and she again forced down the knots of uncertainty that gripped her chest. She had actually tried to talk Master Vandar out of sending the girl with them, but he had insisted that her skills would be useful and that she was ready. Jenna doubted that. Who among them was ever truly ready to face a Sith Lord? It was even worse, since Darth Revan would have the advantage of being on his ship.

Besides the Padawan, there were four Jedi Knights also accompanying her. Jenna knew them all well, and regretted that such a dangerous task lay ahead of them. Along with the team of Jedi, there was a small squad of twelve Republic soldiers that would be assisting them in getting to the Dark Lord. The possibility that Revan knew of their planned trap unnerved her greatly, but Master Vandar had convinced her that they had to go ahead with the plan and hope it worked. Revan’s forces were steadily depleting the Republic’s resources as he stormed through the Outer Rim worlds in his conquest. The galaxy had seen enough of war. He had to be stopped.

While she usually trusted the wisdom of the Council, Jenna’s mind still wondered at the advisability of sending a Padawan, even a particularly talented one, against a Sith Lord. Bastila’s skill with Battle Meditation was well known, but her abilities in actual combat had not yet been proven. Master Jenna just hoped the girl would not end up paying for the Council’s overconfidence in her abilities.

“This is it, be ready. We’re headed into the hangar of Revan’s ship now,” the pilot informed the team.

Jenna took a deep breath and noticed that most of her team did as well, each trying to steady their nerves. She looked at Bastila, who seemed strangely calm and collected. Jenna found it odd that a young Padawan seemed more at ease with the mission than she did. There was no turning back now. Once they landed in the hangar, they would have no choice but to fight their way to the bridge.

********

Revan smiled as he watched the battle unfold from the bridge view ports. No one would see that smile hidden behind the mask, no one expected a Sith Lord to smile. He could feel the Jedi’s transport drawing closer and he knew that they would soon be aboard his ship. His arms folded over his chest, the fingers of one hand tapping on the other arm, his mind constantly in motion as he continued to plan and scheme.

His thoughts drifted to the Padawan. Revan chuckled to himself, the Jedi trap would backfire and Bastila would be caught in his trap instead. The entire contingent of his forces aboard the _Dark Vengeance_ had been instructed to kill any Republic soldiers accompanying the Jedi, but they were to let the Jedi come to him on the Bridge. He had also made it clear that this Padawan in particular was not to be harmed. He would capture her, yes, but anyone responsible for harming her would end up dying a slow and painful death at Revan’s hands.

Revan chuckled to himself as he heard the alarms announcing that the Jedi transport had boarded his ship. The Force rippled with the presence of the Jedi strike team, including Bastila. Even from a distance, he could feel the strength of her Force signature shining like a star. He grinned as he thought of the little surprise he had in store for her. Turning away from the view port he motioned to the Captain of his guards. The soldier stiffened out of reflex, a habit ingrained in Revan’s forces when he was prone to frequent and brutal executions of anyone who annoyed him.

“Yes, Lord Revan?”

“Is all in readiness?”

The soldier nodded and tapped the pouch at his belt, “Yes, my Lord.”

“Good.”

Revan had prepared a special restraint collar for the Padawan, one strong enough to dim even his considerable connection to the Force. He turned back to the view ports, his eyes focusing briefly on the _Leviathan_ , his apprentice’s ship. Behind him, he heard the bridge doors burst open as the strike team charged in. A small squad of dark Jedi rushed forward to counter the strike team. They were careful not to harm the female that their master was so intent on capturing. At the same time they were trying to keep her occupied.

Slowly, almost casually, Revan turned to watch the scene taking place. He counted four Jedi Knights, two human and two Twi’lek. There was also one Master, and the exceptionally talented Padawan he was after. The dark Jedi fell quickly which displeased Revan greatly and he made a mental note to reevaluate the training of his dark Jedi. With a disgusted sigh, he stepped forward and his saber sprang to life. Master Jenna stepped forward to meet him, her bright green saber held ready. Revan smirked and dropped into a solid ready stance and waited.

“Surrender, Revan. You’re out numbered.”

Revan laughed, “You presume much, Jedi. You have no authority _here_.”

Jenna sprang forward, her dark eyes searching for an opening and Revan fluidly shifted to parry the attack. With a flick of his wrist Revan called on the Force to shove his opponent back. As Jenna fell, Revan lunged and his violet saber hissed as it struck. She cried out in pain as Revan’s saber seared a deep trail across her hip and upper thigh. The Sith Lord smiled coldly beneath his mask and stepped back as his prey struggled to her feet. The Jedi nodded to her team and as she rushed him, the four Knights also closed in.

The Dark Lord grinned at the added challenge. His left hand dropped to his belt and a second lightsaber ignited with a bloodthirsty hum. Revan shifted his stance to accommodate the use of dual sabers and his eyes caught the hesitation in the Knights’ advances. As the flurry of his opponents’ blades converged on him, the Sith Lord let his instincts and the Force guide his motion. Weaving and ducking, twisting and blocking, the six combatants were locked in a dangerous dance.

Whirling with deadly precision, Revan’s twin sabers spun and hissed as he pushed the Jedi back with his relentless attacks. The Jedi Master fell as her right arm was severed by one saber while his other saber sank deep into her chest. One of the Twi’lek Knights made the fatal mistake of charging straight into the Sith’s blades. Revan spun sharply and the Knight’s head was quickly removed from his body. One of the human Knights found himself gasping for breath as the Sith Lord crushed his throat with the Force. Throwing his victim to the side, Revan smirked as the limp body crumpled to the floor. The two remaining Knights backed up to stand in front of the Padawan whose grey eyes were beginning to show hints of concern.

“Lord Revan!” One of the Bridge officers shouted to him.

Taking a step backward to give more distance between himself and the Jedi, Revan kept his sabers ready as he responded. “What?”

“My Lord, the _Leviathan_ has broken from formation and our sensors indicate her weapon systems are targeting us.”

“This is not unexpected, Lieutenant.” He nodded to the Admiral, who silently returned the gesture. “Set maximum power to the bridge shields and prepare to return fire if necessary. However, I expect the problem to remedy itself very shortly.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Revan didn’t bother turning around as the _Leviathan_ burst into a massive cloud of debris when the self-destruct program took over. He shook his head with an almost inaudible sigh. Malak’s loss was regrettable but the apprentice had made his own decision. Shoving any further emotion regarding his former apprentice aside, Revan returned his attention to the matter at hand. The Sith Lord reached out to the Force and with a wave of one hand, the three remaining Jedi were locked in sparkling stasis fields.

“Enough; I grow tired of this foolishness. Three dead Jedi are enough of a mess on my bridge.”

Revan extinguished his sabers and returned them to his belt. He walked over to the soldier who had been holding onto the restraining collar for his new prisoner. The soldier handed him the collar and Revan grinned as he moved to stand in front of the paralyzed Padawan. He casually touched her cheek, letting his gloved fingers linger for a moment as he looked into her steel grey eyes. He saw the flash of disgust and anger as she was held helpless by the stasis field. Her brown hair was starting to slip free of the short, loose braids giving her a somewhat tousled appearance.

He locked the collar around her neck and smirked at her shocked expression as she felt her connection to the Force suddenly blocked. He took the lightsaber from her and tucked it into his belt before turning to also disarm the other two Knights. Revan chuckled to himself as he felt the fierce defiance burning within her even with the collar in place. _Dealing with her will be interesting_ , he thought.

“Take these two Jedi to the brig.” Soldiers moved into obey his orders, dragging the incapacitated Jedi away.

Revan stood a moment longer, studying the young Padawan, a satisfied smile hidden by his mask. “Captain.”

The soldier stepped forward.”Yes, Lord?”

“This one, I will be keeping with me. However, should she attempt something as foolish as trying to escape, stun her.”

“Understood.” The soldier nodded, pulling out his blaster and adjusting its settings for stun.

Bastila felt the stasis field fade. She glared at Revan, incensed by the callous way her fallen companions’ bodies were treated. Her hands balled up into fists, and she was infuriated by the emptiness she felt in place of her connection to the Force. Reaching up, she tugged at the collar that separated her from the Force. Noticing the soldier shifting his blaster into a ready position, she let her hands fall back to her sides. Trapped on Revan’s bridge, unarmed and without the Force, she realized the odds of escaping were against her.

Revan stood several feet away, watching her. The mask concealed the amused grin that played across his lips. He motioned to her. “Come.”

Bastila folded her arms over her chest stubbornly and turned her back to him. “I am not some Kath hound to jump at your command, Revan.”

Gasping, she felt the Force tighten around her throat as she was lifted into the air and pulled closer to him. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes as she was spun in midair to face him. Her feet touched the floor again but the iron grip on her throat didn’t ease up at all.

“You will do exactly as I say, or your short life will be ended prematurely and _painfully_.”

Finally the grip on her neck subsided and she took several deep breaths. Her eyes locked defiantly on the mask hiding his face. Despite the fear gnawing at her heart, rekindled by Revan’s threat, it was her own anger that concerned her the most. She had always been quick to show her temper, something her masters had constantly reprimanded her for. But now, here in his presence, it seemed as though her anger was even more eager to boil to the surface. _No doubt that is what he wants,_ she told herself. _You saw it, Malak’s ship was destroyed. He probably intends to make you his new apprentice._ Her thoughts shifted to the feel of his touch upon her cheek. She shivered and clamped down firmly on her mind before she followed _that_ train of thought.

Revan turned and stalked to the front of the bridge, his anger finding a new target. The air nearly crackled with the Dark Lord’s fury as he swept the bridge crew with his gaze. Finally his eyes came to rest on the sandy haired communications officer. Visibly paling, the man looked up at the Sith Lord from the operations pit that surrounded both sides of the central walkway. The officer was gripped by an invisible fist and dragged up from his console to be dropped on the ground at Revan’s feet. The Sith Lord’s boot moved to rest on the man’s neck.

A strangled yelp escaped the man’s lips as the Dark Lord ripped his way through the officer’s mind. “ _Jedi strike team on board, Revan distracted_.” Revan echoed the words of the message the officer had sent to the _Leviathan_ before it attacked. Revan laughed as he leaned forward feeling the officer writhing and struggling beneath his boot. “I am _never_ that distracted and you were a fool to serve the apprentice over the _Master_.” Pressing a bit harder, he released a satisfied sigh as he felt the man’s neck snap and the body went limp. “Get this trash off my bridge.”

Soldiers jumped to attention and dragged the body away. Out of the corner of his eye, Revan caught the disgusted scowl and disapproving glare in Bastila’s cold grey eyes. She made a point of staying as far away from him as he would allow. Behind the stifling shadows of his mask, a part of Revan’s mind mirrored that disgust, with himself. He truly did not want to harm the young Padawan. There was something inside her that he hadn’t seen in many years, and he had no desire to destroy that naive innocence and beauty. However, he was fully aware that everyone would be watching him. If he showed her any kindness or mercy, if he displayed any weakness, or allowed her too much lenience it would undermine his strength and control.

He relented enough to allow her some space, but not too much. So she followed him; never closer than three paces, but no further from him, as though kept at the end of an invisible leash. He kept his shoulders squared, lest she sense the weight bearing down on him even with the collar on. His mental shields stayed locked in place. For now, he accepted that she would hate him. Deep inside his mind, that knowledge stung like a swarm of bloodsucking insects.

********

Master Vandar leaned heavily against the console, sadness and regret gripping his heart. “Admiral, we must retreat.”

“Master? Are you alright?”

He shook his head. “The battle is lost, Admiral. We must retreat now and save what ships we have left.”

“What of your team?”

The old Master sighed deeply. “I felt Master Jenna’s death in the Force. However, the dark veil that surrounds that ship interferes in my sight. I cannot sense any of the others. We must assume they are lost as well. If they are not dead, Revan will surely turn them to the dark side to use against us.”

The Admiral swallowed hard, and nodded grimly. “Very well.”

He motioned to his executive officer and the orders were relayed to the rest of the fleet to retreat. One by one the Republic ships broke off and fled into hyperspace.

********

Watching the view ports, Admiral Blair noticed the Republic’s retreat. “Lord Revan?”

Revan turned his attention to his Admiral. “Yes, Admiral?”

“The Republic is running. Their ships are jumping to hyperspace.”

“Naturally. Recall the fighters and get the fleet ready for the journey back to the Star Forge. See that we depart as soon as possible.”

“Yes, my Lord.” The Admiral nodded and went about carrying out Revan’s order.

The Sith Lord let his gaze follow the retreating ships. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. _Run while you can; this isn’t over, Vandar. It seems you still can’t beat me at Dejarik,_ he thought to himself as he glanced over at Bastila, a _nd now I have your precious pawn._

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  


 


	2. Chapter 2

Bastila shivered, but not from the cold. She watched Revan as he stood on the bridge, appalled by his lack of concern for the lives of others. He had killed one of his own crew members in front of her. His apprentice and the entire crew of Malak’s ship were also dead. Thousands of lives snuffed out in the blink of an eye because Malak dared betray his Master. Countless innocent people were dead at Revan’s whim.

She struggled to control the anger and hatred she felt burning in her heart and mind. Her thoughts had become a constant mantra repeating the Jedi Code as she tried to remain calm. Bastila’s mind drifted back to the Enclave on Dantooine. She bit her lip against the bittersweet memories. She remembered the warm sun over the lush prairies that spread out from the Enclave. She imagined running her fingers over the warm, sturdy stone walls of the Enclave itself. She had always felt so safe there. She could see the faces of her Masters with their gentle, patient eyes and reassuring words. Her heart trembled in her chest. She longed to feel that warm sun and see those safe, welcoming stone walls again.

Another shiver pulled her sharply out of her homesick daydream. The cold only exacerbated the situation. Bastila hated the cold. She had little doubt that the bridge was kept cooler than normal so that Revan would not be uncomfortable in his full armor. Her eyes narrowed. Just like a man to make the entire ship suffer to ensure his own comfort. And all because he insisted on wearing that ridiculous mask and armor all the time. His arrogance was insufferable. Her thin Jedi robes did little against the chills. As she looked around the somber grey bridge, all she found was cold and emptiness. Cold grey metal, the cold dark of space through the view port, cold lights flashing on computer screens, even the cold, empty looks on so many of the crew members’ faces. There was no warmth to be found here.

She caught the ship’s Admiral watching her. He had the calm, confident bearing one would expect of a high ranking officer. As their eyes met she saw something akin to pity in his hazel eyes. It was as though he had some notion of what his Master had planned for her and he already felt sorry for her. Bastila looked away, her gaze falling on Revan as he turned to face her.

Bastila knew that somewhere beneath the armor and the mask, Revan was a man; he was human. But as she stared into that horrible, emotionless mask, she could not find any shred of humanity in him. Revan had destroyed worlds, slaughtered countless people in reckless and selfish conquest. She had felt his power when her team had faced him here on the bridge. She had watched as he killed Master Jenna and two other Knights. Bastila held no delusions that her life meant anything to him. She only mattered as long as he considered her to be useful to him. That single thought, above all others, disgusted and infuriated her. A knot of nausea settled in the pit of her stomach. Just like all those others, her life now hinged on the whim and fancy of a Sith Lord.

The collar around her neck aggravated her. It chafed at her skin and her inability to touch the Force was growing increasingly frustrating. She wanted nothing more than to rip the collar off and throw it at him, but it was locked tight. She glared at him. She would not let him see how uncomfortable she was. He would not get that satisfaction from her.

********

Revan felt the ship jump into hyperspace as the view port showed the stars blurring into streaks. He walked over to Bastila, one gloved hand closing on her upper arm. He felt her muscles tense and noticed the venomous look in her grey eyes. He felt a twinge of regret, but quickly shoved the thought aside.

“Walk with me, or would you prefer that I drag you along?” He hissed, leaning closer to her.

She huffed and squared her shoulders, trying to shake his hand off of her. Revan smiled beneath the mask and moved his hand to her shoulder, firmly guiding her off the bridge. As they crossed through the doors into the corridor, four soldiers snapped to attention. Their polished golden armor trimmed in crimson formed a sharp contrast to the dull, cold, grey of the ship. Revan nodded slightly and the guards fell into formation behind him and Bastila.

Revan let his hand slip from Bastila’s shoulder, there was really no place for her to run to or hide. He trusted the guards to keep her from hanging too far behind him. They walked in silence except for the sounds of their footsteps and the background hum of the ship’s systems. Stepping into the elevator, Revan activated the controls with a casual flick of his fingers. The elevator stopped at the brig level. The fleet would be arriving at the Star Forge in seven hours, and he decided to pass the time seeing to the Jedi Knights he captured along with Bastila.

When they walked into the main detention area of the brig, he heard a shocked gasp escape Bastila’s lips. The two Knights had been stripped of their robes, leaving them with only their leggings. They both huddled pitifully on the floor of their force cages. Revan knew Bastila was also feeling the drastic drop in temperature. She pulled her thin robes tightly around her slender body.

“Why must it be so dreadfully cold?” she muttered.

Revan laughed, humorlessly. “My brig is not designed to make prisoners comfortable, Bastila. I keep it significantly colder than the rest of the ship deliberately. I find that when they are miserable, prisoners are more inclined to be cooperative.”

The furious, withering look from Bastila would have caused a weaker man to hesitate. The touch of color brought to her cheeks by the heat of her anger only made her even more beautiful. Revan however, shrugged nonchalantly and turned his attention to the first of his prisoners. As the Dark Lord moved closer, the human Knight looked up. His green eyes focused briefly on Revan, but then were drawn to Bastila standing behind him.

“Bastila! Thank the Force you’re alive.”

“Kelan!” She stepped forward without any thought of Revan, but was frozen in mid stride. Her body sparkled as it was enveloped by a stasis field.

The Knight bristled, “Leave her alone!”

The force field around his cage vanished but Kelan was lifted off his feet by the Force. The Sith Lord stepped closer as the Jedi struggled to breathe.

“You are in no position to make demands, whelp. What I do to Bastila is no concern of yours, Jedi.” The ice in his tone concealed the rage Revan felt clawing at his mind, demanding to be released.

He relinquished his grip and Kelan fell in a crumpled heap on the floor. Gulping in deep breaths, the Knight struggled bravely to his feet. His fists clenching, the Jedi rushed at Revan. The icy dam of control holding back the river of the Dark Lord’s fury shattered. The Sith Lord’s hand stretched out, lightning arced out from his fingertips to slam into the errant Knight. The power of Revan’s attack knocked Kelan backwards and he slid against the cold metal flooring. The rough floor left bloody trails of cuts and scrapes down the Jedi’s bare back. A second blast of lightning caused Kelan to scream as his body writhed against the searing pain.

The stasis field faded and Bastila rushed over, placing herself between Revan and Kelan. Anger ignited behind her grey eyes. She stood with her feet spread apart and her hands on her hips.

“Stop it! You’re killing him! You don’t have to do this, Revan!”

He closed in, stopping to loom over her with his height. She raised her chin slightly, haughtily defying him as she held her ground. Revan reached out, his gloved hand closing on her neck. Her eyes widened and she tried to pull away but his grip only tightened. Turning her around, he forced her to walk backwards towards the guards. Shoving her at them, he growled.

“Hold her, and keep her out of my way.”

Two guards took hold of her arms and held her tightly between them. He could feel the undercurrent of the guards’ thoughts. It was unlike him to show any mercy. He buried his emotions deeper beneath the layers of his mind. The Dark Lord reached out and ran his fingers over her cheek, smirking beneath the mask as she struggled to pull away from him.

“My dear, it is not a matter of having to. I do what I _want_ to do.”

He turned back to the Jedi who was staggering to his feet again. Revan snarled as he raised his hand and the Knight groaned as he was wrapped in the crushing grip of the Force. With a single, quick motion, the Dark Lord threw the Jedi into the far wall. Another cry of pain was ripped from Kelan as the vicious impact caused bones to crack.

“No!” Bastila’s voice cracked slightly as she screamed the word. She struggled to pull free of the guards until a third raised his blaster, aimed for her chest. She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. Seeing her fellow Jedi suffering so badly and being unable to help them was tearing her apart.

Revan motioned to the fourth guard who stepped forward and dragged Kelan back to his force cage and reactivated the force field. He stood still for a moment, searching for stray thoughts. Neither Knight provided anything of interest.

“The two of you have six hours to decide. Either you see things _my_ way and join me, or your lives are forfeit and you will be executed when we arrive at our destination.”

Revan turned and walked out of the brig. Outwardly, in large part because of the mask, he appeared calm. Inwardly, Revan was almost shaking as he fought to regain control. He felt the knot tighten in his chest as he realized that he had given in to the rage, the anger within him. Taking a deep breath, he tried to clear his mind. His guards followed at his heels, with Bastila still held between the lead two. He could feel the tempestuous waves of her anger and hate, although she was struggling to control it. A wry grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he could hear the repetition of the Jedi Code echoing through her surface thoughts. The muscles along his spine twitched as he imagined her fierce grey eyes boring into his back.

Stepping back into the elevator, he felt the storm of her emotion ease slightly and glanced over at her. She stood with her eyes focused on the elevator door, refusing to look at him. He nodded slightly to himself. She had succeeded in controlling her anger toward him. Her expression held no hint of rage or hatred, only the calm and grace worthy of a Jedi Master. He smiled behind his mask, admiring her courage and strength.

********

Bastila took a deep breath, and kept her gaze focused on the floor in front of her. She hoped that Kelan and Tej would survive, but she knew dwelling on it wouldn’t help anything. Leaving the elevator she felt Revan’s hand on her shoulder again. She felt her skin crawling as she tried to shrug him off. His grip tightened and he led the way into a wide corridor. They were met by the Captain of Revan’s guards, and as Revan approached, the soldier straightened to attention.

“Lord Revan.”

“Captain,” he acknowledged, “I trust everything is ready?”

The Captain bowed, “Yes, all is as you ordered, my Lord.”

Revan nodded and the Captain recognized his dismissal and turned to carry on with his other duties. Bastila’s jaws tightened as she wondered what Revan had planned. The Sith Lord led the way down the corridor, eventually turning down a smaller side hall. Finally they came to a stop in front of a door. Revan waved his hand and the door slid open with a low hiss. His hand caught Bastila’s arm and the guards released her as he walked her into the room.

The door closed behind them and he let her go. She looked around the room, noting the bed and other furnishings. His mask kept her from reading his face, and that annoyed her. She moved away from him, unable to fathom his intentions. She felt increasingly uncomfortable from possibilities presented by the room.

“These will serve as your quarters until we reach the Star Forge. I would advise you to get some rest. There’s a change of clothing for you as well.” He stepped closer, and she could almost feel his eyes sliding over her body behind his mask. “You might find them a bit warmer than your current attire.”

“Why would you care?” she snapped. “After all, didn’t you say that you don’t intend for your prisoners to be comfortable.”

He circled around her slowly, “Indeed, but you are not a prisoner. You are a guest.”

She huffed, her body tensing as she resisted the urge to turn to keep him in sight. “I can’t say I think much of your hospitality.”

“Your opinion is noted, _Padawan_.”

She bristled at the sarcastic and insulting tone, and then looked around the room again. They appeared to be standard quarters. As he moved around her to stand in front of her again, a thought worked its way into her mind and she swallowed hard. “These aren’t your quarters are they?”

He reached out, taking hold of her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Less than a foot separated them and she tried to keep from shaking. “My quarters are wherever I _choose_ them to be.”

He released her and stepped back. Turning sharply, he left the room. As the door closed behind him, she shook herself and moved over to the door. Though the thick door muffled the sounds beyond it, his voice was clear.

“ _No one_ is to enter that room except me, and she is not to leave unless she is with _me_. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Lord Revan.” They responded in unison.

“Good. If any of you fail me, I will hang you from the bow of this ship by your own entrails.”

She heard footsteps growing fainter as Lord Revan left.

********

Entering his room, Revan barely waited for the door to hiss closed behind him before he pulled off the mask and his gloves. He hurled them across the room and unfastened the clasp on his cloak, letting it fall to the floor without a second thought. He crossed the room to his desk and turned on the com unit.

“Yes, my Lord?” Admiral Blair’s voice responded.

“ETA?”

“We’re approximately five hours from the Star Forge now, Lord.”

“Very well, I am in my quarters. Alert me when we’re a half hour away.”

“Understood.”

He switched the unit off. Pulling off his armor, he dropped it into the chair in front of the desk. He walked over and sat down on his bed with a disgusted sigh. Revan stretched out on the bed, his hands clasped behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

His body was tired, but he knew his mind would not let him sleep. The memory of her face filled his thoughts. Her fury and hatred for him stabbed at his heart and he found another reason to despise what he had allowed himself to become. With a growl, he rolled over on his side, and tried to still his thoughts.

His fingers curled into a fist, clenching tightly as her angry words echoed though his head. _You don’t have to do this, Revan!_ He swallowed hard. She didn’t understand. She couldn’t _possibly_ understand his reasons.

“Fool.” He snarled at himself. “How could you _expect_ her to understand?” He pulled himself up and out of the bed, giving up on the idea of sleep. He started pacing. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her...those deep grey eyes accusing him, hating him. He saw the disgust in her eyes when he touched her. Regret ripped at his soul, reaching deep into that part of himself he fought so hard to keep locked away.

He remembered the glimpse of her face as he had first seen it in his vision. Her eyes had been warm, full of compassion. He sighed heavily, knowing he would not see that look in Bastila’s eyes now. It felt strange for him to admit to himself that he _wanted_ her to trust him, he wanted her to, well, at least not _hate_ him.

“Brilliant way of going about that you stupid, stubborn bantha,” he berated himself. “You want her to trust you? What reason have you _shown_ her to trust you?” He paused in his pacing, shoulders sagging. He couldn’t blame her for hating him. He’d nearly murdered one of her friends in front of her. What had he shown her besides the vicious Sith Lord? Bastila had no idea that she had actually saved the lives of the two Knights. His self-control had slipped. If she had not been there to object, he would have killed them both.

The image of her standing against him; the beautiful, defiant tilt of her chin and the fierce gleam in her eyes came to mind. A mildly amused grin danced across his lips as he realized the absurdity of the situation. Bastila was only a Padawan to the Jedi. He was the Dark Lord of the Sith and she had gotten him to back down without even knowing it. Revan shook his head. It was a good thing she wasn’t one to take advantage of her power. The possibilities of what she could accomplish if she did made him nervous.

Revan took a deep breath. He was not accustomed to anyone having such an effect on him. _No one_ had ever been able to sway him from his path before. Yet, as he replayed the moment in his mind again, that was exactly what happened. He could not kill the Jedi. He had intended to, but those accusing, cold grey eyes stopped him. How, even through the darkness that had taken a hold of him at that moment? How could she influence his actions so easily?

Turning as he resumed his pacing, Revan’s eyes caught the mask where it lay on the floor. It had landed face up when he had thrown it. As he looked at it, he felt the shadows pushing against the edges of his mind. The dark side whispered to him. _You’re getting weak, Lord Revan._ Anger flared at the thought that the darkness dared to invade his sanctuary. _No_. His mind resonated on the word firmly and his mental walls strengthened. “You have no place _here_. Go away.” He could feel the shadows laughing. _We can wait, you will come to us._ He felt the shadows slink away, for now.

The mask stared back at him. When had it really changed? The mask had once been a symbol of his resolve to end the threat of the Mandalorians. That war was long over, why did he keep it? It had become convenient. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. The mask had made it _easy_ to do what had to be done. The mask made it easy to accept the darkness, to use that power to accomplish his goals. It was easy to hide behind that mask, to deny what he was becoming. Looking at that mask, he saw himself through the eyes of those who served him. He wondered if all that he had done could ever really justify the sacrifices made.

Revan walked over and picked up the mask, regarding it closely. It had become a part of him, of his identity, no matter how much he hated it now. The mask waited patiently for him to become Darth Revan, the Dark Lord, once more. With a growl, he flung the mask at the wall. It simply bounced off and landed on the floor looking up at him again, as though mocking him. He sighed. No matter how many times he threw it at the wall it never broke or even dented. Revan realized that even if he could destroy the physical mask, it was too late for him to ever be rid of the one that hid his soul.

He would never be free of the darkness _within_ him. Power _always_ came with a price; he had known and accepted that. Revan had vowed that the dark side would never _control_ him. In his arrogance, he believed that he was strong enough to accomplish what no other had. He realized now for the first time just how narrow and precarious the path he walked had become. He saw how dangerously close he had come to completely losing his control.

Revan closed his eyes and Bastila’s face appeared in his mind again. “If you’re not careful, you will end up destroying the very thing you sought to preserve,” he told himself.

********

As she moved away from the door, Bastila felt a chill run down her spine as her mind recalled the way Revan held her chin. The image of that awful mask he wore burned into her thoughts as he had forced her to look up at him. She shivered as she imagined his eyes on her as he had moved around her, as though he was inspecting her. Closing her eyes, she fought to shove those thoughts away.

Walking over to the bed, she picked up the first of the neatly folded garments. Bastila was rather surprised to see tastefully styled robes similar to the typical Jedi uniform. She had been expecting something designed to further humiliate her. They were lighter in color than normal Jedi robes, tan and light grey. The biggest difference was in the fabric. It was thick, yet soft against her skin, and grudgingly she admitted that Revan was right. They were considerably warmer than her usual clothing.

She sighed as she felt warmth spreading through her body. Glancing back at the bed, she noticed a small hair brush and comb. Taking them both, she walked over to the mirror and grimaced at the disheveled state of her hair. Pulling her braids loose, she worked at combing the tangles out, and then gave her hair a final brushing. She debated redoing the braids, but instead, she just pulled her hair into two short ponytails and tied them.

Bastila’s eyes strayed down to the collar around her neck. She reached up and tried again to get the thing off. After several minutes, all she had accomplished was making her neck and fingers sore. Bastila saw Revan’s mask again in her mind. She felt the overwhelming closeness as he stood in front of her. Her gaze returned to the collar around her neck.

He had forced her to follow him around like some new pet, or a _slave_. The idea infuriated her. That collar not only cut her off from the Force, leaving her extremely vulnerable, but it also effectively marked her. As long as that wretched collar was around her neck, her life was not her own. She swallowed hard as his words echoed in her mind. _My quarters are wherever I choose them to be._ Bastila sat down on the bed but found herself staring at the door, worried that he would come back to claim what he considered to be _his_.

Exhaustion washed over her and Bastila felt the full impact of everything that had happened come crashing down on her. Images flashed through her thoughts. She saw Master Jenna and the other two Knights dying at Revan’s hand. She saw the glimpse of Malak’s ship exploding through the view ports of the bridge. She remembered the painful sensation of her connection to the Force being cut off as the collar locked around her neck. She saw Revan killing the officer from his own crew. She saw Kelan as he suffered the brutal treatment Revan had dished out and she prayed that he and Tej would survive.

Her body trembled. Before she could stop it, the carefully constructed wall around her emotions crumbled. Bastila buried her face in the pillow and for the first time in years, she cried.

********

Revan heard the beeping from the comm unit and he knew the Admiral would understand when he did not respond. He didn’t need to reply; Admiral Blair was perfectly capable of seeing the _Dark Vengeance_ properly docked with the Star Forge. The beeping had only been to comply with his orders. They would be dropping back into real space within sight of the Star Forge soon.

Revan sighed. He truly needed sleep, but as usual, it had eluded him. The short meditative trance he had finally managed to achieve was as close as he was going to get to sleep. A scowl spread across his face, his brows knitting together briefly before he sat up. He was glad that he could draw on the Force to sustain him when he couldn’t sleep. However, he disliked that he had to rely on it so much lately.

He took a quick shower and changed clothes. Toweling his shaggy brown hair dry, he couldn’t help but notice the irony. “I don’t know why I bother. My clothes never show under the armor anyway.” Tossing the towel aside, he gathered up the scattered pieces of his armor from around the room. He pulled it all on, stepping into the refresher to check the mirror and give himself a once over before he left his room.

Revan studied his own reflection; his deep blue eyes wearily stared back at him. His brows furrowed slightly as he noticed several new lines around his eyes and mouth. He tilted his head as he regarded his appearance. Time was catching up to him, and he knew that drawing on the dark side so often was aging him as well, despite his sincere efforts to fight it. He also noticed that his usually sharp cheekbones had become even sharper, reflecting poorly on his habit of skipping meals. He shook his head and straightened himself up, adjusting his armor. Finally his hand rested on the mask, and he frowned. Turning away from the mirror and walking toward the door of his room, he settled the mask into place. He paused at the door, and sighed heavily. He pulled the hood of his cloak forward and the transformation was complete as _Revan_ retreated back to the deep, hidden corners of his mind. He felt the weight of his chosen part settle across his shoulders, he took a deep breath and the Dark Lord stepped out into the corridor.

********

Revan arrived at the door of Bastila’s temporary quarters. He motioned to the guards, “You are dismissed.”

They glanced at each other, but dared not question his orders. “Yes, Lord Revan.” They marched off down the corridor. Revan watched until they were well out of sight, and then turned to the door. He knocked.

Revan got no response, yet he could feel her presence in the Force. He knew she was awake. He knocked again. Finally he heard her call out, “Yes?”

He realized that it was as close to an invitation as he would get. He opened the door and stepped inside. She looked up at him, one sculpted eyebrow arching up quizzically. He noticed that part of it disappeared under her bangs. His gaze also took in her cross-legged position as she sat on the floor.

“Meditating?”

“I was, until I was interrupted. I hadn’t thought Sith Lords to be polite enough to knock.”

He shrugged and leaned against the wall beside the door with his arms folded over his chest. “Normally, we’re not. I do find it interesting that you would be such an expert on Sith Lords, though, considering that you’re merely a Padawan.”

She stood up, bristling as she faced him. “I find actions speak rather clearly, _Darth_ Revan.”

He couldn’t miss the particular emphasis she placed on his title and inwardly he winced. His conscience was jabbed even harder when he stepped closer and noticed the redness in her eyes. She had been crying.

“Come on, we’ve arrived at the Star Forge.”

“Go. By all means, don’t let me stop you.” She stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest.

His jaws tightened as he stifled a deep sigh. “Nice try, but you’re coming with me.”

“Hmph.” She rolled her eyes and turned away from him. “Or what? You’ll torture me or kill me like the other Jedi?”

He felt another deep stab of regret.

“No. I’ll just pick you up and carry you like a disobedient child.”

She spun around, the furious look on her face daring him to try it. A faint smile crossed his face and he moved a step closer. Realizing that he likely would carry out his threat, or worse, she relented.

“You’ll do no such thing. If you insist, fine. Let’s go.”

********

Revan felt Bastila hesitate as they stepped out into the docking bay on the Star Forge. He looked over at her and saw that she had gone pale. She stopped and looked at him and he saw the trace of fear in her eyes. He understood. He knew she had to be feeling the immense dark side power pulsing through the Star Forge, even with the collar on. His own mind had instinctively braced for it, accustomed to the relentless assault as the Star Forge sought to break through his control. She had been completely caught by surprise, although the collar would mute the worst of it.

They were alone. He had dismissed his guards and no one had yet arrived to clamor for his attention. He reached over and put his hand on her shoulder. She tensed against his touch.

“You should be grateful for that collar now. The Star Forge is a maelstrom of dark power.”

“I can still feel it.” Her voice was hushed, barely more than a whisper.

“I know, but with your connection to the Force blocked, it will subside soon. It feeds on the Force, corrupting anything it can. With that collar in place, you won’t interest it for long.”

“You…?”

He shrugged, “I’m used to it.”

She swallowed hard but started walking again. With his hand on her shoulder, he could feel her trembling as she struggled against the dark energy. He focused his mind and pushed out against the Star Forge’s power, shielding Bastila. He felt the disappointment in the shadows as the dark whispers complained to him. Revan strengthened his resolve and the Star Forge retreated.

_I hope I don’t need to do that too many times. I’m too tired,_ he thought to himself. _Hopefully it’ll leave her alone and content itself with pestering me._

He felt the tension in her body ease and she took a deep breath.

“Feeling better?”

She nodded, “I can still feel the darkness of this place, but it’s no longer oppressive. It seems you were right.”

He smiled beneath the mask, satisfied. “It happens occasionally.”

He guided her away from the docking bay, through the labyrinthine corridors of the Star Forge. The dimmer lighting of the Star Forge was a sharp contrast to the brightly lit halls of his flagship. The Star Forge was also considerably warmer, and he could never get that to change. He glanced over at Bastila, suspecting that she wouldn’t object to the warmer conditions. As they turned down another corridor, Revan spotted a rust colored droid approaching.

“Greeting: It is good to see you, Master. However, you seem to be rather hard to find.”

“Obviously not hard enough, HK, since you found me.”

“Clarification: Well, naturally _I_ can find you, Master. You did build a homing system into me. None of your meatbag associates knew where you were though.”

Revan chuckled, “I don’t tell them for a reason. Now walk with me, we can talk on the way.”

Obediently, the tall droid fell into step on Revan’s other side. “Statement: You did order that I report to you once I returned.”

“Yes, however, your report can wait. Just answer this, was the mission successful?”

“Proud statement: Oh yes, Master. Of course I was successful. The target was eliminated just as you requested.”

“Good. I have another mission for you.”

“Statement: Very well, Master.”

Revan glanced over at Bastila and noticed her watching the heavily armed droid warily. He smirked, realizing that at first glance, HK-47 probably did look rather intimidating. They reached an elevator and Revan keyed in the command.

Bastila looked up at Revan, “You didn’t build this place, did you?”

He shook his head, “No, the Star Forge is far older than you can possibly imagine.”

The elevator stopped and he led the way through several more corridors. He finally stopped before a door.

“HK-47, this is Bastila Shan. Your new mission is to protect her. You will stand guard at this door, and if she leaves the room you will be responsible for escorting her and maintaining her safety while she is here. If anything happens to her, I will personally rip you apart bolt by bolt. Understood?”

He caught Bastila’s incredulous expression as she watched him.

The droid’s photoreceptors flashed. “Objection: But Master, such a simple task is a waste of my genius engineering!”

“No, it is a waste of _my_ genius engineering since I built you. However, it is a task I would not trust anyone else with.” He stepped closer to the droid, lowering his voice slightly. “I need you to do this for me, HK.”

HK turned his head to Revan. “Query: Master, would it not be more advisable to just lock the female meatbag where she can’t get into trouble?”

Revan stepped back a pace and then turned to his droid. “HK, initiate protocol number 157-A.”

“Objection: Not…”

“HK, do it, _now,_ ” he growled.

“Pained recitation: Revan is the creator. Revan is the Master. I exist to serve the Master’s wishes. The Master will not be questioned.”

Revan folded his arms across his chest. “Now, what part of that are you having trouble processing?”

The droid emitted a hissing wheeze of a sigh, “Resignation: None of it, Master. I will guard the female mea…”

Revan cleared his throat sharply.

HK looked from Revan to Bastila, and then back to Revan. “Correction: I will guard and protect the Jedi, Master.”

Revan nodded and pointed into the room. “You can start by sweeping the room.”

“Observation: You are a very harsh master, Master.” He stepped into the room, and began a thorough check for hidden threats.

Revan shook his head as he watched the droid. “Yes, I suppose you’ll just have to suffer.”

The metal assassin sighed. “Statement: You have no idea, Master. No idea at all.”

Satisfied that there were no threats or security breaches to threaten the female Jedi, he returned to Revan’s side.

“Statement: The room is safe, Master.”

“Thank you, HK. Now, remember, Bastila is a _guest_ , and you will mind your manners. I know for a fact you have them. If she leaves the room, you are to see that she remains safe.”

“Answer: Yes, Master.”

HK-47 took up a position beside the door, blaster rifle cradled in his arms. Revan led Bastila into the room and the door slid shut behind them.

An amused grin played across his lips as he saw her expression of confusion and utter disbelief.

“What?”

She turned and her eyebrow danced upward. “That _thing_ is supposed to guard me?” She pointed to where HK stood outside the door.

“HK-47 will do his job. He just likes to complain.”

She took a few steps away from him before turning to look back at him, still doubtful. “So, did I actually hear you say I was permitted to leave this room?”

“Yes. You are a guest, Bastila, not a prisoner. However, I would advise against wandering around too much, even with HK along to keep you from getting lost.” His concerns colored his voice, and he bit his lip when it became obvious she had noticed.

“Have you _always_ been so suspicious?” She was watching him, her hands folded across her chest.

He stiffened, not really wanting to answer her. He saw that one eyebrow rose as she waited for his response. “It doesn’t matter.”

“If it doesn’t matter, then why is it so important that I have such a lethal bodyguard here?”

He sighed, “Because there are those who are ambitious and they are always looking at a way to move up in the hierarchy.”

“Why would they care about me?” She pressed.

Her question struck a nerve. _Because I do,_ he thought. He looked over at her, “They may not, but as you said, I’m suspicious, and I’m not willing to risk your safety.”

She shook her head, “I take it back. You’re positively paranoid.”

He laughed, spreading his hands out. “Guilty as charged. But it keeps me alive. Now, I do have one request of you.”

Bastila’s eyes narrowed slightly, still puzzled by his actions. “What?”

“Would you join me for dinner?”

“And what if I refuse?”

He saw the defiance and determination in her eyes, and he shrugged slightly, “Then I would have your meal prepared and brought to you here.”

“I would appreciate it if you did so, then. I would rather eat here, alone.”

Revan winced, swallowing the unfamiliar taste of defeat. He turned toward the door, “As you wish.”

********

Bastila would never know that Revan had overseen the preparation of her food personally, driving his cook to extreme lengths of frustration in the process. She would never know that Revan had shadowed the serving droid until her meal was safely delivered to her. She had asked to dine alone and reluctantly, Revan respected her wishes.

He made his way to his own quarters. He took a deep breath as he looked around the room. Revan pulled off his mask and flung it viciously at the wall. He was too tired to even bother pulling off the rest of his armor. He raked his fingers through his hair and sank down on the sofa. His own stomach protested its emptiness, but he ignored it. He leaned back, propping his feet up on the small table in front of the sofa.

Revan clasped his hands behind his head, and closed his eyes. He felt the fatigue settling over him like a heavy blanket. Bastila’s image drifted into his thoughts and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. With a heavy sigh, he tried to relax, desperately hoping he could sleep.

********

Bastila sat at the small table in her quarters, puzzling over the apparent sudden change in Revan’s actions. A Sith Lord being nice? _No,_ she told herself. _It was just a Sith trick. It’s all just an act. He’s just trying to trick you into trusting him._

Still, she hadn’t expected him to actually allow her to refuse his request to join him. When her meal had arrived, it was another surprise. She had expected something small and unappetizing as punishment for her refusal, she was not prepared for what she got. A colorful assortment of fruits covered one plate, some she couldn’t even recognize. Another plate held several slices of different fresh breads. The centerpiece was a steak nestled among cooked vegetables. Medium-rare, just the way she preferred it- how had he known? _Guessed_ , she corrected herself. The whole meal was wonderfully prepared and mouthwateringly delicious.

After she finished eating, she stood up and took a good look around the room. There was a door into the refresher. A footlocker sat at the foot of the bed. Opening it, she found more robes matching the ones she was wearing as well as some that were darker colored. She laid out a clean set of robes on the bed, and then headed into the refresher to take a shower.

Feeling much better after her shower, Bastila pulled on the clean clothes and sat down on the edge of the bed. She reached up and worked at toweling her hair dry. Deciding to just leave her hair loose, she curled up on the bed.

She was just beginning to feel herself dozing off, when a loud noise outside the door caught her attention. She got up, her hand instinctively reaching for her lightsaber only to remember that Revan had taken it from her. Something hit the door with a loud thud, and she backed against the far wall. Unable to reach the Force and unarmed, she realized how vulnerable she was.

The door hissed open and HK-47 stepped in, firing off several shots before the door closed again.

“Statement: It would appear that the Master’s suspicions were correct. You are not safe here, Jedi.”

Bastila frowned, “What do you propose to do about it? He told you to keep me safe.”

HK flipped on his built in com link. A moment later, Revan’s voice responded, “What?”

“Observation: Master, we have a situation. Several of your meatbag followers seek to harm the female Jedi. I may need your help.”

“On my way.”

********

Revan stood up, the murderous thoughts in his mind boding very ill for whoever had dared cause the disturbance. He half-wished that HK would leave some of them alive, so that he could have the pleasure of disposing of them personally. For the first time in a week, he had actually accomplished falling asleep. But the shrill beep of the com link had driven any trace of that blissful sleep away. Revan grabbed his mask and slipped it on as he left the room.

When he arrived at Bastila’s quarters, there were six dark Jedi trying to get through the door. They were met by a steady barrage of fire from HK’s rifle. However, the droid was outnumbered and Revan knew Bastila was unarmed.

Revan growled and a blast of lightning slammed into the group. His twin sabers sprang to life with bloodthirsty hisses. Three of them charged at him, their sabers blazing. HK took advantage of Revan’s appearance and shot two of the others who had become distracted. The last one turned and sought to destroy the droid.

The Sith Lord spun, and dropped low under the guards of two of his opponents. Howls of pain echoed the sparking of his sabers as they seared into flesh. Out of the corner of his eye, Revan caught the sight of Bastila kicking the dark Jedi who was attacking HK-47. Revan’s patience vanished as the dark Jedi managed to catch Bastila with his fist. He trapped them all in a stasis field. With a furious growl, he sank his saber into the nearest Dark Jedi, and then turned to HK.

“HK-47, terminate the traitors.”

“Statement: With pleasure, Master.” The droid proceeded to blast each of the remaining dark Jedi.

Revan moved over to Bastila as he clipped his sabers back on his belt. He smiled as he noticed that she had let her hair down. “Are you alright?”

She straightened up, one hand rubbing lightly at her jaw where the dark Jedi had hit her. “I think so, just a little sore.”

His eyes narrowed at the sight of the bruise already starting to show against her pale skin. “That settles it. You’re coming with me.”

“Where?” She hesitated.

“Just keep walking.” Revan urged.

HK-47 fell into step behind them, and Revan led the way back to his own quarters. He opened the door and ushered her in, then stepped back and offered a graceful bow.

“You’ll stay here. These quarters have security measures that no one will get through.”

As they stepped into the room Revan felt her stop sharply. He turned and saw she was standing stiffly, her grey eyes widened slightly as she looked around the room. He frowned as he caught the hint of her surface thoughts. The room reflected him; the furnishings and colors were bold, dark, and very masculine. He could tell she was uncomfortable. _She’ll just have to get over it,_ he thought with a smirk.

She took a step backward against the door. “Revan, I will _not_ stay in your quarters.”

He noticed the way her lips pursed and saw the proud tilt of her chin. He smiled behind his mask.

“You _will_ stay here,” he insisted firmly.

She started to object again and he stopped her with a raised hand.

“Considering what just happened, it’s now obvious that this is the only place I can guarantee your safety. You will stay here, and HK will be just outside the door.”

She put her hands on her hips. “And just _where_ do you intend to sleep?”

Revan simply turned and walked out of the room, a smile hidden beneath his mask.

 


	3. Chapter 3

A Sith acolyte slammed into the wall with a bone cracking thud. Crumpling to the ground, he moaned in pain. The acolyte’s whimpering became a strangled gasp as he was lifted from the ground. His neck snapped, and his body was tossed aside like a discarded toy.

Revan casually adjusted his gloves and looked around the crowded training room. He was surrounded by a ring of thirty apprentices and acolytes all armed with lightsabers. There was a hundred more spread out further around the room, watching and waiting in the shadows for their turn to face the Master. Two hundred fledgling dark Jedi had started the day’s training session, but the Sith Lord’s brutal methods consistently thinned their numbers.

He motioned them forward and the ring of dark Jedi closed in around him. Revan shut his eyes, and let the Force guide his motion. His own lightsabers remained clipped at his belt, much to the surprise of those watching. Twisting and weaving, the Sith Lord evaded strike after clumsy strike that was aimed at him. He dodged and swerved, feeling the pulsing rhythm of the Force surging through his mind. An acolyte struck high toward his chest and Revan arched backwards, bending like a stand of Xosha grass in the wind. Stepping away as the blade passed by, he turned and sidestepped two others. With his eyes closed, the Force showed him every blade, every step as his opponents sought to catch him. Revan could hear the grunts and groans, the tired panting as the acolytes and apprentices struggled to keep up or accidentally hit each other as they missed him.

Finally, striking like a Corellian Dire-cat, the Dark Lord attacked. He leapt over one apprentice, only to spin around and deliver a vicious kick to the apprentice’s back. His fist connected with another apprentice’s face. Dropping into a low crouch, he swept the feet out from under three acolytes. Revan spun around, kicking another in the chest and sending that acolyte into two others who also fell. The rest panicked and scrambled back away from him. Straightening up, he looked at them all. His lips curled into a disgusted snarl beneath his mask. The Sith Lord’s anger erupted in a vicious wave of lightning.

“You are all pathetic. I should save myself the trouble and just kill the lot of you. We will continue the training tomorrow and maybe some of you will survive to actually learn something.”

He walked out of the room, still seething at the ineptitude of the majority of his forces recently. It had been four days since the attempt was made on Bastila. During those four days, Revan had been exercising his pent up emotions in the process of “training” the soldiers and dark Jedi aboard the Star Forge. There had, of course, been casualties. One hundred and seventy-five soldiers and dark Jedi had died over those four days. As the days had passed, Revan’s mood had deteriorated to seething fury and the deaths became an increasingly expected occurrence during the training exercises.

Revan prowled the corridors of the Star Forge walking off the anger that had built up during the latest training session. Breathing deeply, he fought to rein in the rage that threatened his self-control. Slowly, the rational, calmer part of his mind prevailed. Revan knew the anger he felt was constantly being amplified and fueled by the Star Forge. As he distanced himself from the training room, Revan’s resistance to the Star Forge’s dark influence returned and the shadows retreated once more.

He had seen very little of Bastila over the last four days. She had become increasingly frustrating, resisting his efforts at every turn. No matter what he tried, she refused to give an inch. Beyond that, he found himself becoming distracted by her- too easily distracted. That bothered him more than anything. As the Dark Lord, being distracted would be fatal if anyone became overly ambitious. The Star Forge’s dark whispers returned to gnaw at his mind, trying to convince him that Bastila was a threat to him, weakening him with her presence. Revan growled and blocked out the incessant whispers. He had taken the opportunity to distance himself from her. Over the last four days, he checked in with HK-47 to ensure she was still safe and being cared for, but decided to just leave her alone for a while.

He felt a presence in the Force but kept walking. A young female Twi’lek fell into step beside him. He glanced over at her, a smile crossing his lips. The dim, unnatural lighting in the corridors muted the golden hue of her skin.

“It amuses me, Rylla, how you are always able to find me. You’re getting as bad as HK.”

She paused in mid-stride, “Forgive me, my Lord.”

He waved one hand nonchalantly and never slowed his pace, “It’s alright. I assume, since you are here that means the _Talon_ has docked?”

She nodded and caught up to him again.

“So, I suppose that means you are mine for the time being?”

“Yes, my Lord. Master told me to attend to you.” Her warm, amber eyes watched him, expectantly.

“There is actually something you can do for me.”

She smiled and looked up at him, “Anything, Lord Revan.”

“I have a guest, and I must admit I have been a very poor host. My duties have been keeping me rather busy, and unfortunately that means I have been neglecting my guest. I would appreciate it if you would check in on her. See if there’s anything she needs and maybe keep her company. I would imagine she’d enjoy having someone near her own age to talk to.”

Rylla bowed, her lekku twitching with disappointment. “As you wish, Lord Revan. Where is your guest?”

“She’s staying in my quarters. I trust you remember the way there?” He glanced over at her with a smirk as he caught hints of her desire in thoughts she made no effort to conceal.

The girl blushed slightly, “Yes, my Lord.”

Hours later, Revan stood gazing out the view-port of the observation deck of the Star Forge. It was a quiet place, and he found himself spending a lot of time there. He began pacing, and thinking. Revan looked out at the stars again. He was reminded sharply as the cold stars winked back at him, that despite all his planning and maneuvering, the galaxy would continue to move to its own rhythm. A short beep from his com link brought a scowl to his face.

“Yes?”

“Lord Revan, Admiral Blair is requesting to see you.”

“Let him in.”

Revan glanced at his faint reflection in the glass of the view-port. His mask was tucked into his belt, hidden by the folds of his cloak. He didn’t bother putting it on. Admiral Blair had served with him since before he ever started wearing it, and there was nothing to hide between them after so long. The door into the observation deck opened and Revan could hear the Admiral’s steady footsteps as he approached. The Sith Lord turned and met the Admiral’s hazel eyes.

He bowed slightly, “Lord Revan.”

Revan inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Admiral. What brings you here?”

“You had asked me to send out scouts to check on the Republic.”

Revan sighed, “Ah, yes. Anything to report?”

“Nothing of great interest. The Republic seems to be licking its wounds right now. Their fleet is too small to really commit to any offensive strikes against you.”

Revan nodded as he stared out at the stars. “Thank you, Davon.”

Admiral Blair tilted his head, watching Revan. “Permission to speak freely, my Lord?”

“After all these years, Davon? You don’t need to ask.”

A faint smile crossed Davon’s face. “Thank you, Revan. However, old habits die hard for an ancient man like me.”

Revan turned to face the Admiral and chuckled, “What’s on your mind?”

The older man’s calm hazel eyes met the icy blue gaze of the Sith Lord. “Why are you still keeping that Jedi?”

Revan’s brows furrowed slightly as he regarded Davon. “She was the Republic’s best pawn. As long as I have her, she’s not being used against us. She may also turn out to be useful to us.”

The Admiral expression grew serious, “What are you going to do with her? Do you really expect her to turn like those other Jedi?”

His scowl deepened as he looked over at the old officer. Images of Bastila’s fierce defiance came to mind as he thought about her. “Honestly, I’m not sure anymore; things have... changed.”

Davon nodded, “A word of advice, if I may?”

Revan’s eyebrow arched upwards.

“Decide _soon_ , Revan, before that choice is taken from you. You, above all others, know what this place does to people. I’m not sensitive to your Force, so it has no effect on me. But for the likes of you, and even more for _her_ , it’s different. She hasn’t truly seen war. She can’t understand the dark places you’ve had to walk, what you’ve had to do. It’s not my place to question your intentions, Revan, but this place is not good for her.”

Revan looked away, but he understood what Davon meant, and the old Admiral was right. “What would you suggest?”

The Admiral smiled, “You _honestly_ want me to answer that?”

“Yes.”

“She doesn’t _belong_ here. That’s all I’m going to say about that.” Admiral Blair looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, “Something my father always told me- a man is never truly old until he’s traded all his dreams for regrets.” He glanced at back Revan. “I’d wager a guess we each have our share of both. You’re still a young man, Revan. Don’t let it take that from you.”

“Thank you, Davon.”

The officer nodded, “I’ll be on the _Vengeance_. At least it feels like a proper ship.”

Revan sighed heavily as he watched the Admiral leave. He knew the truth behind the old Admiral’s words, a wry smile tugged at his lips. He was always amazed at how well Davon could understand him. He looked back out at the timeless stars. He could feel the weight of every day of his twenty-six years resting heavily on his shoulders, yet he felt even older.

He had traded many of his dreams for regrets that now gnawed at his soul. He closed his eyes, wondering if he actually had any dreams left. His thoughts turned to Bastila, and Revan questioned if he even _deserved_ to dream.

********

Bastila sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor in Revan’s quarters. She had been somewhat surprised that Revan had left her alone so much. But then, she expected he had many things to attend to, and honestly didn’t mind him not being around. The collar still annoyed her immensely and she tried frequently to find some way to get it off.

She tried to meditate, but it felt wrong without being able to touch the Force. She was too disturbed to center herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. She looked up, expecting Revan, but the scantily clad female Twi’lek that stepped into the room was a surprise. She was young; Bastila guessed that the girl was near her own age.

The Twi’lek bowed low, carrying a tray. “Forgive the intrusion, my Lady. My name is Rylla. Lord Revan requested that I should attend to you, if you need anything.”

Bastila stood and moved over to settle down on the sofa. “I’m Bastila; it’s nice to meet you.”

Rylla sat the tray of food on the small table by the sofa and looked up, a shy smile on her face.

Bastila noticed the metallic collar against the golden yellow skin of the girl’s neck, and swallowed hard as the one around her own neck suddenly felt tighter. “I wasn’t aware that Lord Revan kept slaves.”

The Twi’lek’s amber eyes widened, “Oh, no. _He_ doesn’t.” Her tone became sad. “I am not owned by Lord Revan. My Master is Admiral Narith, of the dreadnaught _Talon_ , which is docked here.”

Bastila’s eyebrow rose, “I’m sorry, I thought you said that Revan had sent you.”

Rylla nodded, “He did.” She took a deep breath, “My Master seems intent on pleasing his own Master, so he gives me to Lord Revan, to use as he wishes while the _Talon_ is here.”

Bastila felt her mouth go dry as she looked at the girl. Clearing her throat, she tried to sound convincingly unconcerned. “Oh? What does Revan have you do for him?”

Rylla’s yellow cheeks turned almost bright orange as she blushed, “Usually very little. He asks me to deliver messages or to fetch things for him. Today he asked that I come here to see if you needed anything.”

Nodding, Bastila regarded the Twi’lek. “So Revan has never…”

The girl shook her head firmly, causing her lekku to sway. “No. Never.” There was a hint of disappointment in Rylla’s voice.

“I see. So what do you think of him?”

“I don’t know him very well. I know he can be brutal and fierce. He is a strong leader, and that is necessary. He demands obedience and has little tolerance for failure. But he doesn’t abuse his power.”

“You don’t think he abuses his power?” Bastila asked with a snort of contempt.

“No, I don’t. He has always treated me fairly. I would be glad to have him as my Master.”

Bastila took a moment to look at the tray of food. It was a light arrangement of various fruits, cheeses, and fresh bread. Looking over at Rylla, she considered the girl’s words. She did present an interesting perspective on the Sith Lord. “Why’s that? What is your Master like?”

“My Master is a cruel and wretched man. He has a dreadfully sour temper. I think he beats me just for something to do, that or he forces himself on me. He’s worse when he gets drunk, which he does often.”

Bastila felt the blood drain from her face, and she regretted not being able to help the girl. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

Rylla smiled softly, “It’s alright. He’s actually not as bad as my first Master. I was born a slave, owned by a Hutt.”

********

Revan stepped through the door into his quarters and was greeted by the sight of Bastila and Rylla sitting together, chatting. They both looked up at him as he entered the room. The pair blushed and glanced at each other, like children caught in the act of some great mischief. He smirked and assumed that he had been the topic of their conversation.

Rylla stood and approached him, dropping to her knees in front of him. “My Lord.”

He shook his head, “Rylla, you know what I’ve told you. Stand up, child.”

She stood, keeping her eyes lowered. “Forgive me, Master.”

He placed a hand lightly on her shoulder and his voice was calm. “Hush, I am not your master, and I will not have you groveling at my feet. Admiral Narith, however, would be a different story.”

Rylla glanced up, “My Master has displeased you, Lord?”

Revan sighed, “Immensely, and for many reasons. But you needn’t concern yourself with that. He was unhappy after he left me, so he’s likely on his way to getting drunk.”

Revan glanced over at Bastila, who had regained her composure and was watching him closely. The Twi’lek swallowed hard, and he caught the fear in her deep amber eyes.

Her shoulders sagged, “I should go. Master will be wanting…”

“No, you will stay Rylla. I don’t particularly care what your master wants. His previous order still stands.”

She blinked up at him. “My Lord? I don’t understand.”

Revan smiled, “He instructed you to obey my orders did he not?”

She blushed, “Yes, my master said I was to attend to your needs.”

“As I recall, I asked you to see to the comfort and well being of my guest.” He nodded toward Bastila. “That is a very intensive occupation, so I don’t expect you to be free of your duties to me until…” he spread his hands, “maybe sometime tomorrow morning?”

Looking up at Revan, there was a new glimmer of hope in her eyes. “My Master should be sober by then.”

“For his sake, I should hope so. Until then, I expect you to keep Bastila company.”

Rylla’s lekku nearly twitched with joy. “Thank you, my Lord.”

He nodded and crossed the room to his desk. Keying in a few coded commands, he pulled a few data chips out of the small compartment that opened. Tucking them into his pockets, he relocked the compartment and turned back to the two girls.

“You’re welcome, Rylla, and I do apologize if I interrupted anything.” He focused his gaze on Bastila. “I trust Rylla is capable of seeing to anything you need, Bastila. However, is there anything specific you require while I’m here?”

“No, thank you, Revan. I do not need anything from _you_.”

Revan caught the haughty tilt of her head as her grey eyes studied him coldly. He tensed, stung by her words. He nodded, bowed gracefully, and turned toward the door.

“Very well, I shall leave you ladies to your idle gossip.”

********

Sleep had eluded him once again. Revan let his mind drift and wander. Here, on the quiet observation deck with its massive view-ports looking out on countless stars, Revan sought to calm the chaotic storm of his own thoughts. His internal clock told him it was nearly mid-morning, but in the never-ending dark of space, morning was a relative term.

His eyes were closed, but the low hiss of the doors opening and closing pricked at his awareness. He caught the soft footsteps that came to a stop at a respectful distance from him. He opened his eyes and saw the Twi’lek standing before him. He could see her body trembling.

“Forgive me, my Lord, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Her voice shook and was barely above a whisper.

He motioned to her, “Come here, Rylla.”

She approached, bowing low as she stopped only three feet from him. He stepped closer and gently placed his hand under her chin, making her look up at him. He noticed the numerous bruises that spread over her skin.

“What happened?”

She closed her eyes, choking back a sob. “Master was still… very drunk when I returned. He was very angry that I… kept him waiting.”

“I see.” Revan stepped back, letting her go. “Go now, keep Bastila company.”

She nodded and left the room. Revan watched her go, one hand tightening into a fist. He crossed the observation deck to the communication console and keyed in a command. A moment later the holographic image of Admiral Narith appeared.

“Lord Revan,” Narith slurred, “What can I do for you?”

Revan snarled in disgust. “Admiral, your presence is required in the command center on the Star Forge. There are matters which I need to discuss with you, _immediately_.”

The Admiral bowed and nearly fell over. “Yes, Lord, right away.”

Revan studied the many displays that lit up the command center of the Star Forge as he waited for Admiral Narith. The door behind him finally opened and he heard the shuffling steps as the drunken officer staggered toward him. Revan’s eyes narrowed and his left hand shifted to rest on the lightsaber at his belt.

“Narith, your continued incompetence has exhausted my patience. I cannot allow such an inept child to remain in command of one of my dreadnaughts.”

“B…but you said you gave me another chance,” the officer stammered.

“Indeed, and it seems you’ve already managed to throw away that chance as well.” Revan’s right hand slipped beneath his cloak to pull a vicious looking whip from its place on the back of his belt. “It has been a very long time since I’ve had an occasion to use this. I must thank you for giving me the opportunity to give it some attention again.”

Revan flicked his wrist and the whip unfurled with a sharp crack. Admiral Narith’s eyes widened and he backed up a step.

“You can’t do this!” He shrieked.

Revan growled. “Admiral Narith, in your pathetic state have you truly forgotten who I am?”

The whip lashed out and wrapped around Narith’s leg. Revan jerked the whip back to himself and the Admiral crashed to the floor with a thud as his leg was pulled out from under him.

“No, Lord Revan, but p…please, c… can’t we be reasonable about this?”

Revan shook his head, “I am afraid you are in no position to negotiate. Now, stand up.”

Narith stood up shakily. Panic fully gripped his mind and he tried to run. Revan gestured with his left hand and the Admiral was locked in a stasis field. Revan circled around him, a sneer forming on his face. In a matter of minutes, Narith’s uniform was shredded and soaked with blood from the sharp barbs embedded in the last few inches of the Dark Lord’s whip. Revan took a deep breath and slowly re-coiled the whip and returned it to his belt.

The stasis field vanished and the officer collapsed the floor, whimpering and crying in pain. Narith’s control over his own body vanished and he passed out in a soiled, wretched heap. Revan signaled the guards who stood at the door. They stepped forward and bowed. Revan waved one hand at the wilted officer.

“Take this putrid, pusillanimous pile of bantha fodder and throw him out the nearest airlock.”

Revan strode into his quarters and stopped. Bastila and Rylla were seated at opposite sides of his Dejarik table, in deep concentration. He smiled softly, his eyes drawn to Bastila. He noticed her hair was pulled back in two short pony tails which exposed and accentuated the lines of her neck. Revan’s eyes followed the graceful arch of Bastila’s neck as she studied the board in front of her. He allowed his gaze to flicker upward to her face, noticing the way her lips were pursed in concentration. Reluctantly, he cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Who’s winning?”

They both flinched at the sound of his voice, and looked up. Neither had noticed him come in. He chuckled and settled down on the sofa across from them.

“I think she is, my Lord.” Rylla nodded to Bastila. “I’m still not very good at the game.”

Revan smirked, “I suppose I’ll need to give you a few more lessons, then?”

Rylla blushed lightly, “My Lord, you have so much to do already, I wouldn’t want to take up your time.”

He glanced at Bastila, her grey eyes watching him closely. A grin spread across his lips. “Oh, I’m sure I can find the time one of these nights.”

He saw Bastila stiffen uncomfortably. Standing back up, he motioned to Rylla. “I actually did come here to speak to you, Rylla.”

She stepped over to him and bowed, “Yes, my Lord?”

“Well, it seems your Master has expired.”

She blinked, “Oh?”

Revan nodded. “Strange really, but apparently in his drunken stupor, Admiral Narith somehow managed to stumble out an airlock.”

She looked down, “But that would mean…”

“It means you now belong to me, yes.”

Rylla rushed forward and hugged him. Looking over Rylla’s head, Revan watched Bastila as he slipped one arm around the girl, returning the embrace gently. His smile grew as the Jedi tensed and turned away, her cheeks reddening.

“Thank you, Master.” Rylla was beaming with joy.

“Of course.”

“Is there anything you need, Master?” Her eyes sparkled with hopeful expectation.

Revan lowered his voice, but knew that Bastila would still be able to hear him. “Not at the moment, we can discuss matters later, _privately_. I have other things I need to attend to. For now, you’re free to stay with Bastila, finish your Dejarik game.”

He stepped away from Rylla, and turned to Bastila. “I apologize for interrupting. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.”

*********

“I don’t care what time it is, or where he’s at you incorrigible hunk of scrap metal. You find Revan and take me to him, now.” Bastila’s grey eyes flashed angrily as she faced the rust colored droid.

“Statement: The Master informed me that he would not be on the Star Forge until mid-day.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Bastila’s temper had been simmering slowly all night, and this news only infuriated her even more.

“Fine. As soon as he sets foot back on the Star Forge, I expect to be notified and I want to see him.”

“Condescending answer: Of course, I will inform the Master that his pet Jedi has politely requested his immediate attention the instant he returns.”

Her nostrils flared and her jaws tightened as her anger grew. _Miserable, wretched droid._ The indignation sparked by HK’s words only darkened her mood. _Revan’s pet Jedi, indeed._ Turning, Bastila stepped back into the room and scowled. _His quarters._ The thought further frustrated her. He had left her in his quarters for five days, and she still hadn’t been able to get rid of the horrible restraint collar. The lack of the Force’s soothing presence was getting to her. She felt her control weakening, and she refused to give him that satisfaction.

Dark Lord of the Sith or not, she was not about to tolerate him treating her like some mindless pet or a new toy to be discarded when he got bored. As soon as he was back on the Star Forge, she intended to see that things changed.

********

Revan slipped out of the Sith fighter as its engines gave off one last whine as they shut down. He was pleased that the training exercises with the first wave of fighter pilots had gone well. Only two had actually hit his fighter. He knew they would rarely be fighting a pilot like him, and had chosen not to hold that against them.

The long hours spent training had improved his mood as well. It had been several years since he’d actively flown a fighter in combat, and he was happy that his reflexes hadn’t been dimmed by time. Revan straightened his cloak, and headed toward the elevator off the hangar deck. His com link beeped as the elevator doors closed.

“Yes?”

“Statement: Master, the female Jedi is demanding to see you. Amused observation: She appears to be rather upset.”

Revan chuckled, “I’m sure she is. I’ll be on the observation deck in about three minutes. Take her the long way. The walk will do her good.”

“Observation: Perhaps she is malfunctioning. I could just blast her for you, Master. It would save you the trouble of listening to her emotional, irrational ranting.”

Revan sighed. “No, HK. If I wanted her dead, I would have already killed her myself. Just bring her to me, and I’ll deal with her.”

“Disappointed answer: As you wish, Master. I just don’t see why you’re so concerned about the Jedi.”

Revan made his way to the observation deck using shortcuts that only he knew. He grinned to himself as he imagined Bastila’s reasons for wanting to see him. He heard the door slide open behind him as he leaned against the railing along the upper catwalk. Revan noticed that HK stopped just inside the door, leaving him to deal with the obviously irate Jedi storming towards him.

Bastila came to a stop about six feet from him. He turned to face her. Her grey eyes sparkled with simmering anger. Revan smiled as he noticed she’d left her hair loose again.

“I understand you wanted to see me?”

“HK told me you weren’t on the Star Forge. Where have you been?” Her hands rested on her hips and Revan caught the stubborn gleam in her eyes.

He shrugged and turned his back to her, looking out at the stars. “Bastila, you are my guest. However, that does not mean that I am required to tell you my whereabouts at any given moment. What I do with my time is my business.” He glanced over his shoulder and saw her watching him. “Besides, I doubt you’d really _want_ to know what I was doing.”

She scowled at him, “I would like to request new accommodations.”

He turned back to her, “My quarters are not adequate?”

“I don’t like the room, and after being stuck there alone for nearly a week, I’m sick of it. You have absolutely horrible taste in furnishings.”

He saw the fierce defiance in her stance, and he stepped closer. “I do apologize, Bastila. I was not made aware that you _required_ my presence for any reason. I was merely respecting your wishes for privacy. Contrary to what you might believe, I do have many things needing my attention. My empire doesn’t run itself. There are dark Jedi, soldiers, pilots, and officers that require training. At least one of my ships is in need of a new commanding officer. There are matters of supplies and trade that need to be dealt with. Bastila, you are my guest, and I will listen to your _requests_. However, your requests simply cannot be my top priority.”

She took two steps backward as he had moved closer. She tilted her head slightly to meet his gaze. “I will _not_ spend another day in that room, so you find someplace else for me to stay.”

Revan bristled at the imperious tone in her voice. He growled and took another step toward her. Bastila moved back, but was stopped by the thick transparisteel view-port. He was easily six inches taller, and as he pressed closer, she was forced to look up at him. He placed his hands on either side of her shoulders, trapping her against the view-port.

His voice was low and menacing as he looked down at her. “Do not presume, _Padawan_ , that my hospitality grants you the right to make demands. I could just as easily kill you as not. However, if you truly insist on testing my patience, I will be happy to revoke your status as my _guest_ and throw you in the brig.”

He saw her tense, and she shoved his left arm out of her way, quickly distancing herself from him. He whirled around, feeling the power of the Star Forge flow around him. The whispers eagerly pushed against his mind, begging him to draw on its dark energies. _She dares to challenge you. Destroy her._ Bastila stood defiantly as she faced him. Even without her lightsaber, he knew Jedi were capable fighters.

“If you want to kill me, Revan, go ahead!” Her fury blazed in her storm grey eyes, “It would be preferable to being slowly driven insane by this damnable collar, and the Star Forge, and _you_. Go ahead, kill me!”

The darkness closed in around him, seeking to break through the walls of his self-control. The Star Forge’s power surrounded him, encouraging him to use it. Revan’s jaws clenched tight and his fingers curled into fists as he glared at her. He raised his right hand and sparks of lightning danced at his fingertips. Bastila’s eyes widened and she took a step back.

The Sith Lord hurled the ball of lightning at her, but at the last second its course was altered. The lightning slammed into the large durasteel support frame beside her as a deeper part of him fought to regain control. The lightning missed her, but was still close enough that she winced.

“HK-47, get her out of here, now!” Revan turned away from her, his eyes closed as he struggled to block out the Star Forge’s influence.

The droid ushered Bastila out and as the door closed behind them, Revan sank to his knees, shaking. He heard the Star Forge’s laughter rippling through his mind and growled. “Stay out of my head!” The darkness retreated only far enough to hover at the very edge of his mind, waiting for another chance break him.

********

Bastila sat on the sofa in Revan’s quarters, her feet tucked up under her. She took several deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. She was still trembling. The realization of how close she had come to provoking Revan into killing her hit hard.

She glanced up at the large painting of a Greater Krayt Dragon that covered a large portion of the wall above Revan’s bed. “I suppose it was a mistake to go poking at a sleeping Krayt in his own lair.”

Bastila was just beginning to relax when the door slid open. She tensed as Revan stepped through the door. She started to stand, but caught the casual wave of his hand and felt herself being pushed back on the sofa. The memory of their last encounter was still seared into her mind; she considered it better not to object.

He crossed the room silently, and she watched as he unfastened his cloak. He draped the cloak over the chair by the desk. He pulled off his gloves and the mask, laying them on the desk. Bastila felt her breath catch in her chest. He removed his outer armor and dropped it on top of his cloak. He turned around and Bastila found herself caught in his gaze.

He walked toward her, settling himself down in the chair across from her. She realized she had never seen him without his mask, and it was disconcerting to look at him now. She had been aware of the typical tell-tale signs of the dark side and how it affected people. Bastila blinked and then stared at him, realizing that he looked nothing like the Sith Lord she expected to see. His eyes were a surprisingly clear, deep blue, and for a moment she was reminded of the fathomless oceans she’d seen on a visit to Manaan. She swallowed hard, realizing it would be easy to lose herself in those sapphire eyes.

Revan turned his head slightly, casually glancing around the room. Bastila noticed that a few strands of his dark brown hair fell forward, just lightly eclipsing the outer edge of his left eye and resting lightly on his cheek. His sharp cheekbones gave him a rather severe look. Her eyes were drawn to the fullness of his lips and she tried to imagine him smiling. Bastila took a deep breath and felt herself blush as he looked back at her and she realized she had been staring at him. She looked away.

He chuckled, and she looked over at him. The amused smile that played across his lips was completely disarming. She caught the slight movement as his left eyebrow arched upwards, part of it disappearing behind the unruly hair.

“Well?”

She blinked, “What?”

The smile on his face shifted to a confident smirk. “As long as you’ve been staring at me, I assumed you might have some opinion on what you see.”

Bastila felt her cheeks burning and turned away from him. “What do you want, anyway?”

He laughed and his smile grew. “I wasn’t aware that I needed a reason to come to my own quarters.”

“You’ve been fine not showing up for the last five days, and considering that you tried to kill me…” She glanced back at him, and was met by his smug smirk. _Force, if he’s not the most infuriating man._

Revan reached up and ran his fingers through his hair, brushing the strands back into place, and nodded, “True. Actually, I came to apologize for that, and for disregarding your request. Whenever you’re ready, HK-47 will escort you to your new accommodations.”

Bastila’s grey eyes narrowed suspiciously as she looked at him. “Oh? Some dusty corner of the brig for defying you?”

He sighed and she saw his eyes darken and the corners of his mouth twitched into a frown. “Would you rather stay in the brig?”

“No, thank you. I should go.” She took a deep breath and turned toward the door.

He stood, “If the accommodations are not to your liking, let me know. I trust you can find your way out.”

She glanced back at him as she stepped out of his quarters and caught just a glimpse of his broad, muscular back as he pulled off his shirt before the door closed. She shook herself hard and followed the droid as he moved off down the corridor _. Bastila are you out of your mind? You’re a Jedi, he’s a Sith Lord. Pull yourself together!_

  
  


 


	4. Chapter 4

_All the world's a stage,_  
and all the men and women merely players.  
They have their exits and their entrances;   
and one man in his time plays many parts... 

William Shakespeare, "As You Like It", Act 2 scene 7

 

*********

As the door to her new quarters closed with a faint hiss, Bastila leaned against the wall. Slowly she slid down to sit on the floor, her mind reeling as recent events sent her thoughts into a jumbled chaos. The young Jedi swallowed hard, determined to regain control of her emotions.

Slowly a strangely familiar scent worked its way into her awareness. Her brows furrowed slightly as she stood back up and looked around. A startled gasp caught in her throat as her grey eyes settled on the source of the scent. A large vase of white flowers with light yellow stripes sat on a small table against the far wall. Bastila walked over to the flowers, lightly running her fingers over one delicate blossom.

There was no mistaking those flowers; she had spent so many hours on Dantooine gathering the lilies when she had the time off from her studies. Bastila found herself blinking back tears that threatened to fall as a rushing wave of memories swept through her mind, triggered by the familiar flowers. Suddenly she stepped back from the bouquet and shook her head to clear her mind.

“No, no, pull yourself together Bastila,” she chided herself. Glancing back at the vase of flowers, she frowned. _How could he know?_ Having spent the majority of her life among the Jedi, she did not believe in coincidences. The next logical thoughts disturbed her even more. It was becoming obvious that Revan knew a great deal more about her than she knew about him.

She turned and settled down into the nearest chair. Blushing again, she remembered how she’d made a fool of herself staring at Revan earlier when she finally saw him without his mask for the first time. Bastila leaned back in her chair and tried to imagine what Revan might have been like, before… _Before he became a Sith Lord._

The image of his face came to her mind and she found herself wandering what it would have been like to see those deep blue eyes sparkling with happiness. _Before the Wars came, before he changed, what was he like?_

********

Revan stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Reaching up to put his hands behind his head, he frowned as the scar on his chest resisted the movement. _Another two inches and people would have been accurate in calling me heartless,_ he thought wryly. He heard the door slide open and he looked over as HK-47 stepped into the room.

“HK, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be looking after Bastila.”

“Statement: The female meatbag is asleep.”

“Her name is Bastila, and that is all the more reason for you to be there and not here.”

“Statement: I will be brief, Master. There are some questions that have been looping through my core for some time now.”

Revan sighed and sat up. “Very well, HK. What’s on your mind?”

HK turned to face his master, “Commentary: I have seen you kill or break thousands of Jedi. Yet you allow this female Jedi a conspicuous amount of freedom, and seem content to ignore her insolence. Query: Why?”

Revan scowled as he stood, stepping towards the droid. “I have my reasons, and I am not inclined to discuss them.”

“Query: Master, are you damaged in some way? It appears that your vital signs are fluctuating greatly from the normal levels.”

His jaws tightened. “I am fine, HK. If I wanted my condition analyzed I would have gone to the infirmary to discuss it with a med droid.”

HK’s photoreceptors flashed brightly. “Objection: Master, you may not care about your existence, but I do. Advisement: I am only concerned that the presence of this female meatbag is having a detrimental effect on you.”

Revan glared at the droid. “What are you talking about?”

“Observation: Master, I believe you are, as you meatbags put it, ‘going soft’. I find that to be an interesting turn of phrase since meatbags are, by their very definition, soft and squishy.”

The Dark Lord growled, “I am _not_ going soft, HK. Now get back to work! You are not to leave Bastila unprotected again, or I will throw you in the scrap heap. Understood?”

HK wheezed a disgruntled sigh. “Acquiescence: Yes, Master.”

Revan frowned as the droid turned and left the room. Abandoning the hope of getting any rest, he ran his fingers through his hair and got dressed. He paced across his room, thinking. Although he tried to convince himself that the opinions of a droid didn’t matter, the truth behind it did concern him. HK-47 was likely not the only one on the Star Forge to notice Revan’s preferential treatment of his Jedi “guest”. No doubt many reasons and rumors were being bandied about the Star Forge behind his back.

The dark shadows that always lurked at the edge of his mind stirred. _They will think you are weak, Revan. You should destroy the Jedi, or break her._ Revan spun around, slamming his fist into the wall. “No! Stay out of my head.” The shadows slipped back to the edges once more, but the lingering doubts gnawed at him.

He knew he had nothing to fear from Bastila, but those who followed him; they were different. They followed him because he remained strong, they did not dare to challenge him openly. However, the Sith teachings were full of betrayals and conspiracies. If anyone could find a way to use her against him, to use his growing feelings for her as a weakness, it could be fatal to them both. He would have to decide what to do about her, and soon.

********

Bastila rolled over and her stomach growled. Blinking away the haze of sleep, she sat up. Her stomach grumbled again and she realized that she smelled food. Looking around, she spotted the tray on her table. Her brows furrowed as she realized someone had managed to get in and out of the room without waking her.

Shrugging it off, she got up and walked over to the table. The tray was filled with a tantalizing assortment of light foods for her breakfast. Bastila settled down to eat. She started with the soft mild cheese and a slice of fresh bread. There were also thin slices of lightly seasoned meat and cooked eggs. She finished the meal off with a bowl of fruit.

Standing up, she decided to find Revan. The restraint collar was rapidly eroding any shred of patience she had _. I know this probably won’t go well, but I have to get this collar off, which means asking him._ She took a quick shower and changed clothes. Pulling her hair up in two loose tails, she tied it and glanced at herself in the mirror. She scowled at the faint bruising along her neck where she’d tried to get the collar off.

Stepping out of the room, she narrowed her eyes at HK-47. “Where is Revan?”

The rust colored droid turned his head toward her. “Answer: The Master is in the command center.”

“Well, get moving. Take me to him.”

“Statement: Very well, Jedi. But don’t blame me if he kills you. The Master was not in a good mood this morning.”

“I’ll take my chances. I’m not exactly in the most congenial mood myself.”

“Amused observation: There is a ninety percent probability of violence. This could indeed be most entertaining.”

Bastila followed the droid as he led the way through the Star Forge. When they reached the command center, she took a deep breath and stepped into the room. The sight that met her caused her to freeze. Revan turned to meet her, his cold blue eyes holding her as effectively as any stasis field. Bastila swallowed hard as she struggled to regain her composure.

She finally looked away, and realized her heart was pounding harder. _By the Force Bastila, get a hold of yourself_ , she chided herself mentally. Never had anyone had such an effect on her, and she found it extremely disconcerting. The sound of his approaching footsteps caused her to look back up, and again she felt herself swept up in those fathomless sapphire eyes. Revan stopped in front of her, one eyebrow arching up to partially disappear beneath the unruly strand of his hair.

“Are you here for a reason, or was the view last night not enough for you?” A roguish grin danced across his lips.

Bastila blushed and then felt her anger flare as his grin broadened in response to her obvious discomfort. Without even thinking, she reached out and slapped Revan. The Sith Lord’s eyes darkened to a furious midnight blue. Bastila stepped back as her anger suddenly dissipated and she realized what she had just done. She settled into a defensive stance, expecting retaliation.

Revan moved forward and his right hand closed on Bastila’s wrist before she was able to get out of range. Twisting sharply, he forced her arm up at a harsh angle behind her back. Bastila winced and a hiss of pain escaped her lips. She felt his left arm close around her neck, pulling her back against his armored chest. Fear gripped her mind and she swallowed hard, feeling the rough armor on his forearm dig into her neck as his grip tightened. Bastila felt the Sith Lord lean in close, his lips nearly brushing her cheek. His voice was calm but low as he spoke.

“Be careful what you start, Jedi. You may not like how I finish it.” Revan released her and turned her around to face him again. “And to answer your question, no. That collar stays.”

Bastila tensed, wondering how much of her thoughts he’d been able to read. Focusing her mind on the irritating collar, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Why? I am being slowly driven insane by this wretched collar. Or is that what you want?”

He tilted his head and the untamed locks of his hair fell forward over the corner of his left eye again. “That collar is what’s protecting you from the Star Forge.”

She scowled, “I don’t _need_ your protection. I’d rather take my chances with the Star Forge than feel myself slowly going mad.”

Revan laughed and turned his back on her. Walking away from her, he glanced back over his shoulder. “Your overconfidence is amusing.”

She sighed, “Revan…” Bastila bit her lip, and then continued, “Please? Must I beg?”

He turned around, and their eyes met. For a split second, Bastila thought she saw a flash of emotion in the Dark Lord’s eyes, but then it vanished, and she wondered if she had just imagined it. “Do you truly understand the risk? If I remove that collar, the Star Forge will seek to break you. It will destroy you as it does everyone who comes here.”

She straightened up and nodded, “I understand, and it hasn’t broken you.”

A wry grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, “It will… eventually.” Shrugging, he motioned with one hand and the collar dropped to the floor. “HK, take Bastila back to her quarters and keep an eye on her.”

*********

Revan watched as HK-47 escorted Bastila out of the command center. Turning, his gaze fell upon the collar where it had landed. He could feel the Star Forge’s power surging, swirling around at the edges of his mental barriers, and constantly testing his will. He walked over and picked up the collar, tucking it into his belt.

_I hope she’s as strong as she thinks she is._ He pulled his mask out and put it in place. Taking a deep breath, he felt the weight of his role settle on his shoulders. It was time for the Dark Lord to make his rounds of the Star Forge, but as he stepped out of the command center, he found it difficult to keep his thoughts off of the young Jedi.

Revan realized the danger in being distracted, and forced himself to bury any thought of Bastila. The last thing he needed was any of his followers to pick up on stray thoughts. As he walked, his surface thoughts became occupied with replaying one of the many dejarik games he’d played with Master Vandar.

“ _Well played, Revan. You win again.”_

“ _You always lose, Master, because you are not willing to sacrifice your pawns.”_

“ _Revan, it is a challenge to find victory without such sacrifices.”_

“ _Perhaps, Master, but one must always be willing to make sacrifices when they are necessary. If not, you will always lose.”_

“ _There is logic in such thinking, but be careful that you do not sacrifice too much, or the victory may be shallow indeed.”_

The old Jedi Master’s words struck a nerve as Revan remembered them. _How much was too much to sacrifice in order to save a galaxy from itself?_

*********

Closing the door to her quarters, Bastila leaned against the wall, shaking. Revan had warned her, but she was quickly realizing that she had underestimated the sheer ferocity with which the dark powers of the Star Forge would assault her mind. She sank down to the floor, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to block out the clawing shadows that tugged and poked at her.

The young Jedi had lost all track of time, and nearly screamed as the door opened beside her. Catching herself, she bit her lip as Rylla stepped into the room. The Twi’lek looked at her; concern and bewilderment clear in her amber eyes.

“What is wrong, Bastila?”

Bastila shook her head and stood up. Shakily she moved over to sink down on the edge of her bed. “It’s nothing. I’ll be alright.”

Finally she actually looked at the other girl, and she caught the absence of the Twi’lek’s slave collar combined with a particularly cheerful smile. She arched one eyebrow upward and Rylla seemed to catch the unspoken question.

Her smile grew even bigger, “Lord Revan set me free. I am no longer a slave. But I still wanted to stop by and see if you needed anything.”

Bastila smiled weakly, “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. What will you do now that you’re free?”

Rylla blushed, “Well, I believe that Lord Revan set me free because he discovered that I love someone deeply, but as a slave I was unable to do anything about it.”

Bastila’s jaws tightened and she felt an unexpected twinge of jealousy but pushed it aside. “Oh?”

Rylla nodded, “I really didn’t expect him to approve of it, and I certainly wasn’t expecting to be freed.”

Bastila went pale, and began shaking again as the Star Forge renewed its efforts to break down her resolve. She didn’t even hear Rylla calling to her, or notice the girl leaving the room in a hurry. The only coherent thought Bastila was able to form focused on one person. _Revan!_

********

Revan was just leaving the large meeting room after a conference with his officers and ranking staff. As he stepped out into the corridor he felt the laughter and sense of triumph in the dark power surging through the Star Forge. _If you will not be ours, she will be._

The thought ripped at his heart and he growled as he took off for Bastila’s quarters. His com-link beeped and he answered it as he stepped into the elevator. “What?”

“Observation: Master, we have another situation. The Jedi…”

Revan cut the droid off, “I know, I’m on my way, just keep her as safe as you can.”

“Understood.”

As he reached Bastila’s room, Revan nodded to HK, “See that we’re not disturbed.”

He opened the door and stepped in as it closed and locked behind him. Bastila sat on the floor shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks. Revan slipped his mask off, tucked it into his belt, and knelt down beside her. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and was nearly knocked off balance as she buried her face against his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

“Bastila, listen to me closely. There’s two ways we can deal with this, an easy way or a not so easy way.”

She looked up at him, “Revan I can’t put that collar back on, I just can’t. _Please_ , there must be some other way.”

He touched her tear stained cheek and nodded, “There is, but it’s a bit more complicated. You have to trust me, completely. Can you do that?”

His deep blue eyes met her cloud grey gaze as she nodded. “Yes.”

Revan moved her away from him, and knelt beside her. “Alright, focus on my voice.”

She nodded once more and tried to calm her breathing.

“I want you to remember the Enclave on Dantooine. Remember the teachings of the Masters. Remember the Jedi Code.” He smiled slightly as he could hear her reciting the Code in her mind. “Remember the sunlight across the plains, feel its warmth. Remember the fields of lilies that grew near the river, and hold on to that thought.” He felt her stop shaking, and her breathing slowed.

Revan closed his own eyes and he shielded her as he had the first time when they had arrived. Forcing the darkness back away from her, he faced the angry shadows of the Star Forge. _She is ours, give her to us_ , the darkness demanded. _No, you will not harm her. Your darkness will not touch this one,_ he countered. The Star Forge slammed against his mental shields in anger. _You cannot deny us, Revan, why do you resist?_ His body tensed as the effort of protecting Bastila drained him. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew even he could not hold the Star Forge at bay for long.

He swallowed hard. Opening his eyes, he looked at Bastila. The recent memory of her head against his chest and her arms around him made the decision clear. _Necessary sacrifices._ The thought echoed in his mind. Returning his attention to the raging darkness, he lowered his head. _You will not harm her; you will never touch her mind with your darkness ever again. Swear it, and I will give you what you truly want._

The Star Forge nearly shook with utter delight at its victory. _Agreed, you stop fighting us and we will leave your Jedi alone._

He leaned forward, using the Force to gently nudge Bastila into a restful sleep. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. Gently he wiped the last trace of tears from her cheek. He brushed the hair back from her face and smiled softly. He closed his eyes briefly and then turned away. He placed his mask back on and left the room. He took a deep breath and lowered his mental defenses. The full power of the Star Forge surged through him, engulfing him in the darkness.

********

Bastila woke with a start as a bolt of fear lanced through her mind. Momentarily disoriented, she blinked as she tried to reconcile the confused memories of her last conscious moments. Sitting up, Bastila glanced around the room. Gingerly she reached out with the Force, and sighed with relief as its warmth poured through her. Comforted by the familiar feeling, she was also immediately struck by the lack of anything more than the quiet presence of the dark power of the Star Forge.

_Whatever Revan did, it worked. I should find him and at least thank him._ The thought of what might have happened to her without his help chilled her as she remembered the brutal assault on her mind the night before. The Jedi wondered if the gentleness she seemed to recall from Revan had been real or merely imagined.

Bastila stood up and started toward the door but crumpled to the floor instead as her world was turned upside down. Her mind was suddenly filled with extremely strong, chaotic emotions; rage, pain, fear, sorrow, hatred. She struggled to pull her mind away, to regain control. After several moments passed, she finally succeeded in shielding her mind from the raw surge of emotion. She took a deep breath and stood up again, still shaken by what happened. However the source was unmistakably clear to her. _Revan._

Bastila gathered herself together and stepped out of the room. HK-47 stood guard, his blaster rifle cradled in his arms. The droid turned his head as the door opened, his photoreceptors glowed a deep, angry orange.

“Observation: You appear to finally be functional.” The droid almost sounded disappointed.

Bastila stepped further into the corridor, and turned to HK. “Yes, where is Revan?”

“Answer: The Master is in his quarters, and left orders that he is not to be disturbed.”

“That may be, but I really need to speak to him. Will you take me to him?”

HK-47 bristled, “Statement: I will not disobey the Master’s orders. He instructed me that he did not wish to be disturbed, especially by you. Irritated Query: Haven’t you caused enough trouble, Jedi?”

Bastila fumed and glared at the droid. “Me? Don’t you try to blame me for anything you overgrown garbage bin! Now, take me to Revan, or you’ll just have to keep up while I search the entire Star Forge for him since you are also under orders to keep me safe.”

The metallic assassin shifted uneasily, and he appeared to be reconciling his standing orders within his core. Finally, HK shook his head. “Statement: I cannot keep you safe if you insist on seeing the Master, as the Master does not want to be disturbed, by anyone. Therefore, should you disturb him; I cannot guarantee your safety. Amused Speculation: Despite the fact that I would find it tremendously amusing to watch my Master obliterate you, it would be in direct disobedience to my first order from my Master. Assessment: That is why I must also strictly obey the more current order. You are not to bother him.”

Bastila shook her head, and stormed off down the corridor, the maelstrom of emotions she had first encountered still raged. Opening her mind to it just a little, she would let it guide her to Revan like beacon. HK followed, still protesting, but his complaints went unheeded now as the Jedi focused her thoughts on Revan.

By the time they reached the corridor that Bastila recognized as leading to Revan’s quarters, HK-47 had stopped his string of complaints and protests. Suddenly, the sensation of strong emotions that Bastila had been following stopped. She swallowed hard and tried opening her mind a bit more, reaching for the beacon that she had been focused on, but it was gone. All she could feel now was the dark brooding power of the Star Forge.

Bastila rushed forward, stopping at the locked door of Revan’s quarters. Glaring at the stubborn lock, she turned to the droid. “HK, you can unlock this, right?”

HK stepped forward, studied the lock for a moment, and then nodded, “Statement: Of course I can.”

When the droid made no further move, Bastila’s temper flared. “Well then do it! Unlock that door, now!”

“Objection: The Master did not wish to be disturbed.”

She whirled around to face HK squarely, “Look, aren’t you also supposed to have some programming that involves protecting him? I was feeling a strong surge of emotion coming from him all the way here but that’s stopped now. I can’t feel him. That means there must be something wrong. You have to help me get in there, now.”

HK considered for a moment, then sighed and stepped closer to the door’s lock. Seconds later the door slid open and Bastila stepped inside. The scene that unfolded before her caused her to freeze. The room had been completely devastated. The destruction reminded her of the many tales she’d heard about war zones, and how things looked after attacks. Many pieces of furniture had been utterly smashed; others showed scorch marks from having been attacked by a lightsaber.

Then her gaze finally landed on Revan. He was lying in the floor on his back, wearing only his pants and boots. Bastila felt the breath catch in her chest as her own emotions crashed into each other in her mind. Stepping forward slowly, she felt a wave of relief as she noticed the rise and fall of Revan’s chest as he breathed. His breathing was rapid, as one would expect to see after a great deal of exertion. Glancing around the room again, she guessed that he had worn himself to exhaustion.

Revan’s eyes snapped open as she got closer, and she was unable to stifle a gasp as his once clear, deep blue eyes burned now with an almost feral amber fire. He shifted himself into a low crouch, glaring at her.

“Get out! Now!” His voice was harsh, colder than she’d ever heard it, and that along with the fury raging in his eyes sent chills down her spine.

The young Jedi stood her ground, shaking her head, “No, Revan. I am not leaving.”

Revan stood, fists clenched tightly. “HK-47, get her out of here, now.”

The droid started forward, but Bastila waved a hand, locking him into a stasis field. “I said I am not leaving. What happened to you? Why are you doing this?”

“You are a fool, Jedi. I thought that you might be different, but you’re just as blind and naive as the rest of them. Just go away, leave now before I decide to kill you.”

Bastila could feel the chaotic waves of emotions surging through him again, flaring like a signal fire. She swallowed and took a deep breath, realizing that he was struggling to hold back. He could have killed her already, catching her off guard. Bastila took another deep breath, strengthening her resolve. Reaching out to the Force, she felt it’s comforting warmth wrap around her. She stepped closer, defiantly meeting the Dark Lord’s gaze.

Lightning sparked across his fingertips as Revan raised one hand toward her. “Bastila, don’t.”

“Try and stop me, _Darth_ Revan.” Her more rational mind screamed at her, telling her to stop being foolish, to run while she had the chance. But there was something deeper, as she looked into his eyes, she felt compelled to stay despite the risks.

A ball of lightning flew toward her, instincts took over; she shielded herself with the Force, and only felt a slight tingle through her body as the lightning dissipated. She circled around him, steadily moving closer to him. Bracing for another attack, she watched him closely, trying to anticipate his next move.

Time seemed to slow, for that moment nothing else seemed to exist. There was only her, and Revan. She winced as a stronger surge of lightning slammed against her shield, making it clear that the first attack was only a warning. He had been holding back. Revan’s eyes narrowed and Bastila could hear his low growl as he turned, keeping her in sight. Her thoughts raced, knowing she couldn’t survive long against the full strength of his powers, especially if the Star Forge was fueling them.

The thought struck her harder than any lightning could have, suddenly she understood and the realization chilled her to the bone. He was losing himself to the darkness, and it was because of her. _He saved me, but now he’s suffering because of me. I have to do something._ She studied Revan as they moved and she could see the years of training now showing as flawless skill. Even without the Force, he was a very formidable fighter.

A sudden movement from behind Revan caught her attention and Revan spun around to face HK-47. The droid lowered his weapon, and stepped back. Revan sank to his knees and then collapsed. Bastila rushed forward and dropped down to her knees beside him. She looked up at HK, brows furrowed with concern.

“What did you do?”

HK tilted his head, “Answer: I tranquilized him. Warning: The sedative will likely not last long; his training gives him a high resistance to most poisons. Statement: There was a 98 percent probability that he would have killed you if the confrontation had been allowed to continue. However, you are responsible for this situation. Now you will have to fix it, or he will kill you when he regains consciousness.”

The rust-colored droid turned and left the room, making it clear that he would not interfere a second time if things went wrong. Bastila turned her attention back to Revan, gently taking the dart out of his shoulder before rolling him onto his back. She took a deep breath and placed one hand lightly on his chest. She frowned slightly as she noticed the scar and wondered briefly how it happened. Closing her eyes, Bastila worked to calm her mind enough. She had to still the jumbled tangle of thoughts and focus. Reaching out with her senses, she felt the steady beating of his heart beneath her hand. She could also feel the raging darkness that gnawed at his mind. Calling to mind the same images she had focused on when Revan had saved her from the Star Forge’s darkness, she sought to push that darkness away from him.

Soon nothing existed in her thoughts except Revan and herself. She could sense the anger from the Star Forge, but she dismissed it. Bastila worked to strengthen Revan’s mental walls, to break the Star Forge’s hold over him. She lost all track of time and almost jumped when she felt a hand touch hers. Opening her eyes, she saw Revan’s hand close over hers, and his eyes met hers. They had almost entirely returned to their normal deep blue, but she could still see flecks of amber as well. Bastila swallowed hard as she felt herself being drawn deeper into that fathomless gaze. Her hand trembled as it was lightly trapped between Revan’s chest and his hand, and she felt unfamiliar emotions stirring in her mind.

Revan studied her for a moment before a wry grin played across his lips. “Be careful, Bastila. Don’t start something you won’t want me to finish.”

Bastila’s cheeks burned as she could almost feel the innuendo in his velvet soft voice. Pulling back, she forced the Dark Lord to catch himself from the sudden lack of her support. “So glad to see you’re feeling better,” she huffed.

Chuckling softly, Revan sat up and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. The destruction of the room around him did not escape his attention, and the severity of the situation sank into his mind. He sighed and closed his eyes again. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”

Bastila frowned, “What do you mean? I couldn’t just let it destroy you, not after…” Her frown deepened as she remembered the night before when Revan had come to her rescue against the Star Forge. “This happened because of me, I had to do something.”

Revan scowled and shook his head. A stray strand of hair fell forward, partially hiding his left eye. “Did you tell HK to shoot me or did he think of that himself?”

“I didn’t tell him to do it. I was actually shocked, but it gave me the chance I needed.” She felt her own heart beating faster and she tightened her mental shields, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

He looked at her, his eyes darkening. “You really are a Jedi after all.”

She stood up, confused by his words.

Revan stood up as well and closed in, catching her hand and pulling her closer to him. “Thank you, although I am afraid that your efforts are too late. I am beyond saving. There is no redemption for the likes of me. The Star Forge will not give up on me now after finally getting me. You’ve only succeeded in putting yourself in considerable danger for trying to save me. ”

Bastila looked up at him, meeting his eyes steadily, and she saw what she thought was a flicker of sadness there. “It doesn’t have to be that way, Revan. No one is beyond redemption or beyond hope, not even you. You do not need to worry about me, this time I am prepared for the Star Forge.”

 

 

 

  
  


 


	5. Chapter 5

Revan frowned as he kicked off his boots and let himself flop onto his bed. A lopsided grin played across his lips as his thoughts turned to Bastila. It hadn’t been easy to convince her to finally leave him alone, and the thought of her defiant concern for his well-being amused him. The shadows of the Star Forge clawed at the edges of his mind, and he sighed deeply, knowing that he would not be able to fight it for long. He could still feel the traces the darkness had left behind in his mind, despite Bastila’s efforts to save him from it. Revan knew that darkness would fester and grow and eventually the Star Forge would break his will once again.

His body and mind begged for sleep, yet it continued to elude him as usual. Wearily he sat up and looked around his room. He shook his head and his brows furrowed into a deeper scowl as he surveyed the destruction. This was not the first time such random devastation had visited his quarters as a result of his temper, but it was the worst.

Revan’s gaze came to rest on his Dejarik board and he was pleased to notice it was one of the few pieces of furniture that hadn’t received any real damage. He waved his hand and the holo-pieces appeared on the board. They stood ready for whatever their master had planned. Revan closed his eyes and the pieces faded.

“ _No game of Dejarik can be won without pawns, and you must always be willing to sacrifice them.”_

Words from one of his old Masters echoed in his thoughts and he growled to himself. “We’re all nothing but pawns to the Force. In the grand scheme of things, do the sacrifices actually matter?”

His thoughts turned once more to Bastila. Revan remembered the brief moment of peace he felt when he came to with her at his side. His soul longed to wrap itself in that peace and never leave, but he knew that wasn’t possible. Not for one such as him, peace was just a distant dream that would never be his. There was no hope for him, only more regrets.

Revan slammed his fist into the wall as he realized how much danger Bastila was in now for trying to save him, for denying the Star Forge its desired prey. It was only a matter of time before it would turn its attention back to her, considering the bargain he made to be broken. The confident look on her face as she assured him that she could handle it now tugged at his heart. He knew better, no one was truly a match for the Star Forge’s dark influence, not even him. Granted he had been able to resist it longer than most, but he begrudgingly had to admit that even if he hadn’t given in to save Bastila from it, the Star Forge still would eventually have worn down his defenses and broken him.

He searched around the room until he found his com link and he contacted HK-47.

“Greeting: It is good to hear that you are functional again, Master.”

Revan sighed, “The degree of that functionality is still undetermined, HK. By the way, what did you hit me with?”

“Statement: I used Gharzr venom, Master. Double the dosage normally required to incapacitate a human.”

Revan scowled, “That was a bit of a risk, considering your programming is supposed to keep you from trying to kill me.”

“Smug assurance: Oh Master, of course I was not attempting to terminate you. I had calculated the possible risks. Observation: You are known to be resistant to most toxins, Master. But I decided that you were becoming a danger to yourself, as well as to the female meatbag. Statement: Therefore I concluded that the only way I could accomplish both directives, of keeping you both safe, would be to neutralize you temporarily.”

He chuckled to himself, “HK, why do I get the feeling you enjoyed having a chance to shoot me?”

“Amused statement: Because I did, Master. Very much.”

“Is Bastila alright?”

“Affirmation: Of course, Master. I have not let the female meatbag out of my sight since she left your quarters. Commentary: She has been uncharacteristically quiet, perhaps she is asleep.”

“Good, keep your senses sharp HK, alert me immediately if there’s any sign of trouble.”

“Statement: As you wish, Master.”

“Oh, and HK, one more thing, next time you refer to her as a meatbag, I will turn you into a harmless protocol droid and sell you to the Hutts.”

“Pained acquiescence: I do apologize, Master, but habits are hard to break. Statement: You really are cruel, Master.”

“I’m serious, HK. Bastila is not to be referred to in that way.”

“Answer: Understood, Master.”

Revan moved back over to settle on the edge of his bed. He laid back and put his hands under his head. Staring up at the ceiling, he wondered if there was any hope of finding the sleep he truly needed.

*******************

“ _Revan, that is unacceptable. I will not tolerate my son showing such weakness.” The man glared down at the boy standing before him._

“ _Yes, Father.” The boy took a deep breath and returned to his fighting stance._

“ _The most important lesson you must learn, is that mercy is for the weak, and has no place in a fight.” He struck out with his lightsaber catching the boy in the chest. “Remember that well if you survive.”_

Bastila nearly screamed as the sensation of searing pain shot through her body. Sitting up, her fingers clutched the blankets around her. She swallowed hard as her mind reeled from what it had seen, and she struggled to make sense of it. Clearly, somehow, it was one of Revan’s memories, but how and why had she seen and felt it?

The door to her room slid open and HK stepped in, his glowing photoreceptors scanning the room. “Observation: My sensors detected a change in your vital signs. Query: Are you in some form of distress?”

Bastila took a deep breath and shook her head, “No, HK, it was just a bad dream. I’m fine, thank you.”

The droid nodded and left the room, returning to his post outside the door. Bastila laid back down, pulling her blankets tight around herself. Despite her words to HK, she wasn’t able to convince herself that it had been only a dream. Thoughts tumbled over one another in her mind until suddenly she sat up again with a slight gasp. She remembered seeing the scar on Revan’s chest while she was trying to push the Star Forge out of his mind. There was now no question that the vision she had seen had to be the memory of how it had happened.

Bastila sighed and slipped out of bed to dress, realizing the puzzle before her would deny any further sleep. Was it possible that she had inadvertently touched his memories while attempting to help his mind rebuild its defenses against the darkness? She bit her lip lightly as she wondered if the reverse could also be true. Had he glimpsed into her memories when he rescued her from the Star Forge’s fury?

She was suddenly distracted by a knock at the door. Bastila turned to face the door as it slid open and Rylla stepped in with a tray.

“Good morning, Bastila. I thought maybe you might be hungry.” The young Twi’lek girl was smiling broadly. Then, as if she actually just noticed Bastila’s appearance, she frowned slightly. “You look tired, didn’t you sleep well?”

Bastila shook her head, “No, but I’m fine. I am hungry too, thank you.” She regarded the girl, and continued, “You seem rather happy this morning.”

Rylla beamed, her smile returning. “Yes, I am. That’s the other reason I wanted to stop by and see you. I’m going to be leaving to join the man I love at his new post, and I wanted to come say good bye.”

“Ah, well, that is wonderful news. I’m very happy for you Rylla.” Bastila managed a halfhearted smile. “I wish you all the best; you certainly deserve to find joy and happiness.”

Rylla sat the tray down and took Bastila’s hands in hers, “Thank you, you’ve been a wonderful friend in the time we’ve known each other. I hope you find your happiness someday too.” Leaning in closer, she gave Bastila a mischievous grin. “If you love him, don’t give up on him.”

Bastila blushed as it was unmistakably clear who Rylla was referring to. She pulled away and shook her head. “Rylla, I am a Jedi. Such things are not permitted.”

Rylla regarded her with a disbelieving look. “If you say so. Anyway, I should be going.”

Bastila nodded, “Safe journey, Rylla.”

As Rylla reached the door, she looked back, “Don’t give up on him, Bastila.”

After the Twi’lek left, Bastila settled down in a chair and glanced at the tray of food. Despite her hunger, the young Jedi’s mind was still too distracted to eat. _Why is it so hard to get Revan out of my mind?_

*********************

Revan groaned as he rolled over onto his stomach. His mind desperately attempted to cling to the precious sleep that was already fading away. However, he knew it was too late; his internal alarm clock was relentless and excelled at driving sleep away. Cursing under his breath in several languages, he raised his head enough to peer through the shaggy curtain of hair that had fallen over his face.

The ravaged room hadn’t changed, and he knew he’d have to get that dealt with. He added it to his mental to do list as he slowly persuaded his body to move again. Pushing himself up, he slid out of bed and decided he needed a long, hot shower. While in most cases, he was grateful for the high level of endurance granted by the combination of his natural abilities and his years of training, he also was frequently reminded how easily it allowed him to abuse himself.

“No doubt that will catch up with me someday.” He muttered to himself.

Somewhat refreshed by his shower, Revan dressed and then searched the room for the scattered pieces of his armor. His brows furrowed and a frown tugged at his lips as he felt the weight of the armor as he settled the mask into place and pulled the hood of his cloak forward. The dark shadows of the Star Forge gnawed and scratched at the edges of his mind. Growling under his breath he focused his mind on more pleasant thoughts.

A half smile played across his lips as he thought of Bastila. Her courage and determination in helping him regain control, even temporarily, caused his smile to grow. He had truly grown to admire the young Jedi, and even though he knew it was dangerous to admit, he was also growing very fond of her. That realization lent him the strength he needed to make a difficult decision.

“ _Face it, after what happened last night, you can’t even lie to yourself, Revan. You can’t keep her safe anymore. You might be able to delay the Star Forge, and may be able to protect her from your followers, but you can’t protect her against yourself if you really lose it again.”_ He reluctantly nodded to himself. Bastila had to go, before anything happened to her.

Crossing his room, he went to his desk and entered the coded commands and a small compartment slid open and he removed Bastila’s lightsaber from where he’d been keeping it. Tucking it into his belt, he turned to leave.

As he walked out of his quarters, he stopped at the console to summon the maintenance and cleaning droids to deal with the damage. Revan continued on, not really caring where he went as his mind tried to work out a suitable plan for getting Bastila back where she would be safe. By the time Revan consciously acknowledged where he was, his feet had already taken the path to the Star Forge’s main hangar. The Flight Officer on duty snapped to attention as the Dark Lord approached.

“Greetings, my Lord, how may I serve?”

“I want you to prepare a long distance shuttle, and the pilot should be one who is competent and capable of being discrete. If anything goes wrong on this mission they will suffer a thousand fates worse than death.” Behind his mask, Revan’s emotions remained unreadable, but the deadly ice in his voice made his point extremely clear.

The Flight Officer swallowed hard, no doubt having heard the horror stories of Revan’s capacity for brutality when people failed him. “Of course, Lord Revan, I shall see to it immediately. When would the shuttle need to be taking off?”

Revan considered for a moment. “Have it ready within the hour.”

The Officer bowed, “As you wish, is there anything else you require, Lord?”

He gave a casual wave of his hand, “No, that will be all.”

Revan turned, leaving the Flight Officer to prepare the shuttle. He flipped open his com link, and chuckled as the sinister, hissing voice responded.

“Hopeful query: Do you need someone killed, Master?”

“No, HK, not yet at least. But I do have a new mission for you.”

“Statement: Oh, Master, I can barely contain my excitement. What do you wish me to do?”

Revan grinned as he caught the undertone of sarcasm in the droid’s voice. “There is a shuttle being prepared in the main hanger. Bastila will be getting on this shuttle after I take care of some other things. I need you to get to the shuttle first to make certain it remains secure. I don’t want anything happening because someone managed to sneak on board. You will instruct the pilot that the shuttle is to go as far as the fringe of Republic territory. From there Bastila will need to find her own means of transport back to Coruscant, or Dantooine, whichever she prefers. HK, I want you to make certain that you terminate the pilot and destroy the nav system’s records after Bastila is off the shuttle. Then I expect you to keep an eye on her to ensure that she does indeed return to the Republic safely. Once that mission is complete you are to return by whatever means possible.”

“Query: Am I to leave the Jedi unguarded, Master?”

“Remain there until Admiral Blair arrives, then you are dismissed to commence the new mission.”

“Statement: Understood, Master.”

Revan tucked the com link back into his pocket and walked over to the nearest communications console. Keying in the commands, the call was quickly answered.

“Lord Revan, what can I do for you?”

“Admiral Blair, I have a situation which requires your immediate attention. Meet me on the Observation deck of the Star Forge.”

“Of course, on my way, Lord.”

The connection was terminated and Revan allowed himself a slight smile. He knew the Admiral was the one person he could trust with this. Taking a deep breath, he headed toward the Observation deck to wait.

As Revan entered the Observation deck, his gaze drifted out beyond the massive view-ports. The cold and distant stars blinked impassively back at him. Out of habit he asked the same old questions, only to get the same answer- silence. The stars did not care about the fate of the Republic, or even the galaxy at large. Civilizations rose and civilizations fell. The stars never took sides, they merely existed. Time marched on and the stars just simply watched.

He heard the door to the deck slide open with a faint hiss and waited as the steady footsteps of the Admiral drew closer. Revan turned to face the aging officer.

“I need you to do something and it may require your particular talents of diplomacy.”

Davon Blair arched one eyebrow but his gaze remained steady, “What would you like me to do, my Lord?”

Revan took a deep breath before continuing, “There is a shuttle being prepared, I need you to make sure Bastila gets on it and to see her safely off the Star Forge.”

The Admiral had long since schooled himself to refrain from reacting with any outward emotion, regardless of what orders Revan had given him. Despite this fact, he still blinked with surprise before recovering himself. He nodded, “Of course, my Lord, when is she to depart?”

“Immediately. Oh, and return this to her as well.” Revan handed him Bastila’s lightsaber.

Blair tucked the Jedi weapon into his belt and regarded the Sith Lord. “Sir, if I may ask, would it not be better if you saw her off yourself?”

Revan turned back toward the view-ports with a sigh, “For her, perhaps, but not for me. That is why I trust you to see to it.” He turned back to face the Admiral, “You may get an argument out of her, which is why I asked that you be diplomatic, but firm. She is not to remain on the Star Forge under any circumstances.”

Davon smiled slightly, “Understood, my Lord. Was there anything else?”

“HK will leave when you reach her quarters, he has his orders. He will be accompanying Bastila to make sure she returns to the Republic safely.”

“Very well then, I’ll see her to the shuttle.” Recognizing the silent dismissal from Revan, the Admiral turned and left the Observation deck.

***************

Davon stopped outside the Observation deck to make sure his uniform was properly straightened. No harm in presenting the best image possible to the Dark Lord’s guest before she left. As he resumed walking, he considered Revan’s actions. Chuckling to himself he would have been willing to bet that the Dark Lord was very much smitten by the young Jedi and refused to see her off himself because he really didn’t _want_ her to leave.

Of course, he knew Revan would never admit such a thing, and he also understood why. Revan was the Dark Lord of the Sith, allowing himself to be that close to someone left them both vulnerable to attack. Davon had seen enough of the petty backstabbing and betrayals among the Sith to know that caring deeply about someone could be turned into a dangerous weakness. So, as usual, Revan had made the decision to do what was necessary, even though he obviously didn’t like it.

Admiral Blair had been with Revan through many such unpleasant choices, and would continue as he always had, to offer his quiet support. Although, he suspected Revan would have a harder time getting over this choice than even one such as the destruction of Malachor V, because this time, it was personal.

As he turned down the corridor leading to Bastila’s quarters, he was greeted by the sight of HK-47 who turned to face him.

“Query: Meatbag Admiral, are you here to watch the Jedi?”

Blair frowned slightly at the droid’s typical address. “Yes, walking junk pile, I am. Revan said you had your orders, get on then.”

“Statement: You wound me, right to my central core.”

“Get going or Revan will do far more than that to you.”

HK emitted a wheezing hiss of a sigh and stalked off muttering to himself about meatbag logic and faulty programming. The Admiral watched him leave and then shook his head, wondering what had possessed Revan to create the thing. Returning his attention to the matter at hand, he stepped toward the door and knocked.

Bastila opened the door, a look of confused surprise on her face when she saw the Admiral standing there. He smiled warmly, “Admiral Davon Blair, at your service.”

She nodded, “Hello, Admiral.” Bastila glanced around the corridor, “Where’s HK?”

“The droid is no doubt following his Master’s orders. To that point, I am also here at Lord Revan’s _request_ , may I come in?”

Bastila stepped back, “Oh, yes, of course.”

Davon stepped into the room and stood at ease. He waited until the door slid shut before he continued. “I have been instructed to escort you to the hangar bay, where a shuttle waits to return you to Republic space.”

Bastila sank down in the nearest chair, blinking in disbelief. “Am I to understand that Revan is letting me go?”

He nodded, “That is correct. We are to depart as soon as you are ready.”

Bastila studied him for a moment. “Why is he letting me go all of a sudden?”

The Admiral shrugged noncommittally. “Not my place to question my Lord’s actions or the reasons behind them.”

She frowned, not completely satisfied with the answer. “Alright, but if I’m to leave, I would like to change clothes first.”

“Of course, I’ll be outside.” He turned smartly on his heels and exited the room.

When the door opened again, she was dressed in the same modified robes she had been in the first time he’d seen her. He had to admit, as he glanced over at her, it wasn’t hard to see why Revan had fallen for her.

“Ready to go, then?”

“Yes, I believe so, Admiral.” She fell into step beside him as he began walking.

“Please, there’s no need to be so formal. Call me Davon. Oh, and Lord Revan also told me to give this back to you.” He handed her the lightsaber.

She paused as she took hold of the weapon and flipped it on. The warm golden blade ignited with a buzzing hiss. Satisfied the saber hadn’t been damaged or tampered with, she extinguished it and clipped it back to her belt. “Thank you, I’d rather come to miss having it.”

Davon nodded sagely, “I expect so, I’ve noticed you Jedi seem rather fond of the things.”

Bastila glanced sideways at him as she began walking again, “You seem rather comfortable being around a Jedi.”

He grinned and looked over at her. “Why should I not be? Honestly, if Lord Revan hasn’t killed me after all these years, I don’t think I have anything to fear from a Jedi such as you.”

She arched one eyebrow, “No, I suppose you don’t. Have you served with Revan long?”

The Admiral chuckled and nodded, “I’ve served with Revan since the Mandalorian wars. I was Captain of the ship he was first assigned to when the Jedi joined the conflict. Of course that didn’t last long. I’ve never seen anyone progress through ranks as quickly, and deservedly, as Revan did. So he ended up being made a General and my commanding officer. Others progressed rapidly, like Malak, but only because he was close to Revan and took advantage of the successes. Revan, however, truly earned his rank.”

“It didn’t bother you that he was put in charge?”

Davon shook his head, “My dear, I am a military man. Have been for more years than I care to admit, and that means I gave up my ego a very long time ago. I’ve had a lot of commanding officers in one form or another. I do my job and follow orders; it’s kept me alive thus far.”

Bastila fell silent for a moment before she spoke again, “So, you knew Revan before he fell to the Dark Side?”

Davon coughed and stopped to face her, “Is that what you call it? Hm, I wouldn’t really say that.”

“What do you mean? He turned his back on the teachings of the Jedi.”

“The man I served with in the Mandalorian wars is the same man I serve today. The only thing that’s really changed is what people call him.”

“But…” She began to protest.

He interrupted her, “War, child, is never easy, nor pleasant. Often the only difference between who wins and who loses is who is willing to do whatever is necessary. Lord Revan is a man who does not lose easily because he accepts the fact that difficult decisions must be made and he does what has to be done, even if he doesn’t like it.”

Davon regarded the young woman and sighed, “Think about it, Bastila. Revan destroyed planets in the name of the Republic during the Mandalorian wars; the death toll was catastrophic on both sides. But he was able to push the war to a much quicker end, and despite the cost he was hailed as a Hero of the Republic. Now, just because he does not serve the Republic, his actions earn him the reputation of a bloodthirsty monster. Revan hasn’t changed; he’s still doing what he considers necessary.”

“But why? What is he hoping to accomplish by turning on the Republic?” She placed her hands on her hips.

He shrugged, “As I said, it’s not my place to discuss or conjecture about his plans or actions. All I know is that when you have a tree that’s been badly damaged, you have two options. You can cut it down, killing it completely, or you can carefully prune away the dead wood allowing the tree to continue surviving and in time, it may even grow stronger.”

By this point, they had just exited the elevator leading to the final corridor before the hangar bay and the waiting shuttle. Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Admiral Blair kept his outward expression calm but stepped slightly forward in front of Bastila.

“Admiral Blair. Aren’t you supposed to be on a ship someplace?” The man’s high pitched, almost whiny voice grated on Davon’s nerves.

“Generally, but maybe I felt like slumming with the groundies.”

“Ha, you’re nothing but Revan’s lapdog, Blair.” The man caught sight of Bastila. “What are you doing with his pet Jedi?”

“It is no concern of yours, Lendre.” He hated to resort to violence, but just in case it became necessary, he did have his blaster handy and was now glad that Bastila had her lightsaber so she could defend herself to some degree.

“You’re up to something, Admiral.”

He sighed, quickly losing patience. “Major, you are out of line, and do I really need to remind you what Lord Revan does to those who interfere in his plans? Perhaps you would like me to inform him that you are hindering me in complying with his orders? I’m sure he would be very happy for an excuse to crush the life out of someone by extremely slow and painful methods. He was in a very, very bad mood when I last saw him.”

Major Lendre paled visibly and swallowed hard. Admiral Blair pulled his com link out of his pocket and arched one eyebrow upwards. “I’m sure Lord Revan won’t mind the interruption.”

“No, wait, that won’t be necessary. I have to get back to work.” He turned and hurried away.

Davon laughed and returned the com link to his pocket and glanced over at Bastila. “Well, we’re almost to the hangar, let’s go.”

“Would you really have contacted Revan?” Her brows furrowed slightly as she studied him.

Blair scoffed, “Of course not. If I required his assistance in such trivial matters, Lord Revan would not have trusted me to see you safely to the shuttle. If the threat hadn’t worked, I do have some skill with a blaster, though I prefer not to have to use it.”

Bastila nodded, and they continued walking.

“HK-47 will meet us at the shuttle, and he’s been instructed to accompany you, to make sure you reach the Republic safely.”

Bastila groaned softly, “You mean I have to put up with that homicidal pile of junk all the way?”

The Admiral chuckled, “The shuttle will take you as far as the outer edges of Republic space, and then you’ll need to find your own transport from there. This should cover any traveling expenses.” He handed her a small pouch of credits. “Also, I wouldn’t worry too much about the droid. After all, he was created by Revan as an assassin. Once you leave the shuttle he’ll just be shadowing you, and you likely won’t even notice he’s there, but he’ll be there if you need him.”

Bastila took the pouch, eyes widening as she felt the weight of it. “Thank you, but that isn’t really necessary.”

He waved a hand, “Lord Revan’s orders. He wanted to make sure you didn’t have any trouble traveling comfortably back to the Republic.”

She tucked the pouch into a pocket and followed the Admiral as he led the way to the hangar. Upon reaching the hangar, there was no question which shuttle was intended for her. HK-47 stood at the loading ramp, blaster rifle primed and ready.

“Well, here we are, it looks like the droid’s ready and waiting. Do be careful on the trip back, Bastila.” Davon offered a warm smile.

“Thank you, Admiral.” She hesitated as they approached the ramp. “You command his flagship, right?”

He nodded, “Yes, the _Dark Vengeance_ is mine, as much as he allows.”

“Will you do one thing for me?” She looked worried as she leaned closer.

“If I can.”

“Please keep an eye on Revan.”

He smiled again, “I do my best to do so.”

“Thank you.” She turned and headed up the ramp, and Davon nodded to HK.

“Keep her safe, junk heap.”

“Irritated reply: I will do as my Master has commanded, meatbag.”

The Admiral backed up to be clear of the shuttle as its engines fired up. He waited until the shuttle was lifting off before he pulled out his com link.

****************

Revan stood silently watching the stars from the Observation deck. A small beep from his com link pulled his mind back to the moment, and he flipped it on.

“Yes?”

“My Lord, Bastila’s shuttle is safely away.”

“Thank you, Admiral. You may return to the _Vengeance_ now.” He flipped the link off and put it away. His gaze returned to the stars and he reached out with his senses as well and he could feel the bright spot in the Force that was Bastila. The shuttle came into view as it prepared to jump into hyperspace on its way back to the Republic. Revan’s jaws tightened as he watched until the ship vanished.

“Good bye, Bastila.” His voice was barely more than a whisper, and his hands clenched into fists as he spun away from the view-port.

He was completely alone on the deck, except for the ever present shadows of the Star Forge. He slammed one fist into the nearest durasteel support beam, and laughed. “She’s gone now. You can never touch her.” He glared at the walls around him, “Do what you will with me, I don’t care. But you’ll never be able to harm her.”

Revan let go of his mental defenses and the force of the Darkness that engulfed him knocked him to his knees. _The Jedi does not matter, you belong to us now._

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

The Room of a Thousand Fountains was renowned for its vast collection of plants from all over the galaxy, many of them gifts of thanks to the Jedi Order. The fountains and waterfalls that gave the room its name were spread out among the foliage. Its tranquil beauty made it a constant favorite of Jedi looking for a place to meditate. The many winding pathways and carefully maintained plantings offered a variety of secluded nooks for the Jedi who sought out peace within the Force.

Sitting on a patch of grass nestled among a small grove of Blba trees from Dantooine, Master Vandar struggled to calm his mind. Even surrounded by such serenity as that found among the waterfalls and living plants, the old Jedi was far from being at peace. He had hoped that the Blba grove would help him focus his mind. He had always preferred spending his time at the Academy on Dantooine to the more formal expectations of the Temple on Coruscant.

The diminutive Master’s weathered face scrunched even more as he sought to find the source of his troubles. He had been driven from sleep the last two nights by an overwhelming and deep restlessness. Yet no matter how hard he examined things, he could not find a cause for the feelings. The few Jedi who happened by Vandar’s chosen spot kept a respectful distance so as not to disturb the Master’s meditations.

With a disgruntled sigh, the old Master opened his eyes and looked at the garden around him. Recent events had shaken the aging Jedi far more than he let on. Despite the ultimate decision and support from the rest of the Council regarding the loss of Master Kothari and Padawan Shan along with the rest of the strike team, Vandar still felt responsible. As his mind turned down an increasingly familiar path, the old Master tilted his head. _Could this be the cause? Could this be what disturbs me so?_

As he looked around the garden room, Vandar smiled warmly upon catching sight of another of the Masters sitting closely with an apprentice. Slowly a frown replaced the smile as he remembered his former Padawan as they often spent time here among the fountains.

“ _Why do you insist on coming in here at night, Revan?”_

“ _I am not afraid of the dark, Master. The nights are more peaceful.” The young boy’s fierce sapphire gaze challenged his Master as their eyes met. “Are you afraid of the dark, Master Vandar?”_

“ _No, Padawan, I do not fear the dark. I simply prefer to walk in the light. It is much easier to see where one is walking that way, lest you trip and fall.”_

_Revan laughed, “If you fall, you just get up again and walk more carefully next time.”_

Suddenly his vision darkened and he fought to catch his breath as he steadied himself against the tree beside him. A storm of emotions surged through his mind- Fear, pain, anger, hatred, sorrow. Each wave battered his consciousness and had he not already been sitting on the grass, he would have fallen over.

Several Jedi rushed to Vandar’s side, but he brushed them aside as he fought to regain his composure. “I am fine, just too tired. I must go now.”

He gathered himself and left the garden as quickly as he could without drawing further attention to himself. _Oh_ _Revan, what have you done?_

*******

The unfamiliar shuttle lurched as the hyperdrive engaged and they jumped into hyperspace. Bastila settled into the seat behind the pilot, and tried to ignore the assassin droid that stationed himself nearby. Despite her best efforts, she was already beginning to feel nervous about returning to the Republic, and the Jedi.

_I have nothing to worry about. I haven’t done anything wrong and they’ll be able to see that, surely._ She thought, but something still gnawed at her. _Do you really want them to know everything that happened?_

Her memories came rushing forward as she thought about the time spent as Revan’s _guest_. Bastila couldn’t help blushing as she remembered the feel of his chest beneath her hands, and the way she felt every time she looked into his eyes. She swallowed hard and fought to bury such thoughts as deeply as she could. Bastila glanced around the shuttle, trying to distract her mind.

She leaned forward slightly, hoping to engage the pilot in conversation. “What is our destination?”

“Interjection: This shuttle is in route to Abregado-rae, a planet loyal to the Master.”

Bastila muttered under her breath and turned around to face the droid, “I wasn’t asking you, HK.”

“Statement: I’m only doing as my Master instructed.”

She frowned at the droid, “I hope you don’t plan on coming along after we dock. As long as this planet has a space port I’m sure I’ll find a transport headed for Coruscant. Things are going to be hard enough to explain without an assassin droid complicating things even more.”

Suddenly Bastila gripped the arm of her seat, knuckles going white as she felt the overwhelming surge of chaos slam into her mind. She struggled to catch her breath against the onslaught of such powerful waves of rage and pain and anger that washed over her. The source was unmistakable, she was too familiar with the underlying Force signature now. _No, Revan, no!_ She felt a strange sense of fear, as well as sorrow as her mind still attempted to process and cope with what had hit her. She was only vaguely aware of feeling tears streaking down her cheeks.

Bastila barely even heard HK-47's queries of concern, absently waving him aside as she managed to stand.

“We have to go back.”

“Statement: That is not possible. The Master's orders were very clear, you are to return to the Republic.”

She glared at the rust hued droid. “I'm telling you, something very bad has happened, and it involves your master, so I think we need to go back.”

HK just shook his head, “Negative. We will not turn back.”

*****

Admiral Kern stood and nodded to the three Jedi Masters as they entered the room. “Masters Vandar, Kavar, and Zhar, thank you for coming.” He nodded toward the other officers gathered. “This is Admiral Dodonna, General Heath, and Commander Onasi.”

Once the introductions were made, the group settled down around the conference table. Admiral Kern's assistant brought up the holographic display in the center of the table.

“As you know, there hadn't been any activity from Darth Revan for several weeks. However, it seems that is beginning to change.” He looked around the room at all of them, and then pointed to the flashing areas on the display. “I've received reports that began coming in early yesterday, about new attacks from Revan's forces. It appears that he's conducting a split offensive, with part of his forces hitting supply lines in the outer rim, as well as another group attacking Malastare.”

The group studied the display and glanced over the provided copies of the reports in front of them and their expressions grew grim.

“Admiral Kern, are we any closer to figuring out where his base of operations is located?”

He shook his head, “No, I'm afraid not, Commander. Revan's good at covering his tracks. Even with the few small vessels of his we've been able to capture, the navigation systems are destroyed when we get them so we can't piece anything together from them.”

Master Vandar frowned, “Does this also mean we have no idea where his next strike could be?”

“Exactly.” Admiral Dodonna spoke up. “He always was gifted with a keen mind for tactics and strategies, I fought with him during the Mandalorian wars. Revan is also one who doesn't balk at doing the unconventional or unexpected, which is why he's so hard to predict.”

The Jedi Master nodded, “He always excelled at Dejarik as well, as a young Padawan. Sometimes it seems as though he's using many similar tactics in his war.” He sighed, “What can we do?”

General Heath spoke for the first time, “I think that we need to look at rallying the forces we have, and bracing for the worst. I've gone over the reports of his latest attacks and they are considerably more brutal than we've normally seen- even from Revan.”

“That's a disturbing thought, considering that Revan's tactics have never been exactly _gentle_.” Dodonna replied with a frown.

There were several agreeing nods around the table. Admiral Kern's assistant looked up, and spoke softly.

“Sorry to interrupt, Admiral, but there's a message coming through I thought would interest you.”

His brows furrowed, “What is it?”

“A shuttle coming in, requesting permission to land and the pilot claims to have Bastila Shan aboard.”

The Jedi all glanced at each other. “Could it really be?” Zhar murmured.

“It is possible. I felt Master Jenna's death, but Revan's darkness shrouded my sight from sensing anything of what became of the rest of the team.” Vandar's eyes held a glimmer of hope.

“Tell the shuttle to land. We'll adjourn for now. Masters, I'm sure you're anxious to see about this, please keep me informed if it does prove to be the young Padawan.”

Vandar nodded, “Of course, thank you.”

*****

Bastila struggled to focus her mind. The shuttle was on its approach to land, and she'd been told that some of the Masters would be there to greet her. So much of what had happened since she'd last seen any of them had to be buried. She didn't want them to really know _everything_. She braced herself for the inevitable flood of questions that she knew would be coming, mentally rehearsing answers she had prepared.

Taking a deep breath, she shoved the last of the lingering worry for Revan into a far corner of her mind. She had to keep it away from the Masters if they should think to scan her surface thoughts. Bastila knew the last thing she needed was for them to think she cared for a Sith Lord. As it was, she felt certain that some would already be prepared to think she had been turned, or that she'd fallen while in Revan's presence.

Bastila felt the shuttle touch down, as the thrusters hissed and the vessel settled onto the landing pad. She swallowed hard and straightened her robes before approaching the exit ramp. She put on what she hoped would be a convincing smile, and headed down to meet the Masters.

Vandar walked forward first and hugged her. “I am relieved to see you returned safely, Padawan.”

“Thank you, Master Vandar. I'm glad to be home. Forgive me though, but it has been a long and exhausting trip.”

He nodded, and they circled around her. “Of course. Come with us and we'll get you back to the Temple where you can rest.”

She nodded and followed obediently.

*****

Commander Onasi stood facing the gathered Council and Military leaders. “While I'm just as glad Bastila has been returned to us as anyone, something about this whole thing just doesn't fit for me.”

“What do you mean Carth?” Admiral Dodonna asked.

“Forgive me if it sounds paranoid, but really, I don't believe that Darth Revan would capture a valuable asset like Bastila with her gift of Battle Meditation and just keep her a few weeks, then send her home. How many Jedi have we seen fall to him, either killed outright or turned or broken?”

Master Vandar stood, “We've examined and questioned her extensively, Commander, and we've found no evidence of the dark side in her. I can't begin to guess or explain Revan's motives or intentions.”

“Can she? I think we should have the chance to question her as well.”

Admiral Kern nodded, “I have to agree with Commander Onasi on this point. She may have picked up some information that would be useful to us, that you Jedi would overlook.”

The Jedi Masters looked at one another and then Vandar nodded, “A reasonable concern. We'll have her brought in for you to question.”

One of the Jedi slipped out of the room and several minutes later, returned with Bastila. She looked around the room and swallowed hard. She took a deep breath and walked over to stand by Master Vandar who had motioned to her.

“Bastila, the Republic has some questions they would like to ask you.”

She nodded, “I understand, Master.” She turned to the military leaders, and waited.

“Bastila,” Began Dodonna, “I am sorry if this is unpleasant for you, but could you please go over what happened after the strike team arrived on Revan's ship?”

Bastila nodded, keeping her thoughts carefully shielded, she went over the same answers she had rehearsed several times already for Jedi questioning. She told the story of how he had her restrained with a Force inhibitor, and had kept her isolated so that she did not know what ultimately became of the two knights that had been captured with her. She admitted that she had lost track of time since there had been no point of reference she could use to tell time. Finally she finished with how she had been escorted to a shuttle and told she was being allowed to return to the Republic.

Commander Onasi stepped forward, “So you have no idea why he would have a sudden change of heart and let you go? I'm sorry, it just doesn't fit with what we know of Revan's personality.”

Bastila had to hold her thoughts tightly, because part of her wanted to tell them they knew nothing at all about Revan. Instead she merely shrugged, “I'm sorry, Commander, but I can't explain it or understand it any more than you can. I only know what happened. He didn't deign to explain himself to me before I was sent away, he wasn't even there when I was put on the shuttle.”

General Heath frowned, “Is there anything you can tell us about this Star Forge you mentioned, since it seems to be his base of operations, anything you know could be useful.”

She shook her head. “I only saw a small bit of it, I couldn't even tell you how big it is, since I never saw it from space. I was kept in a single room for most of the time I was there. The few sections of corridor I saw as I was taken to the room I was kept in seemed rather spacious, but I will admit that I was frightened. So my judgment of the size might not be entirely accurate.”

Admiral Kern looked thoughtful. “You have no idea as to where it might be located?”

She shook her head. “I am sorry, but no. When I was released, I was taken to Abregado-rae and from there made my way back to Coruscant. However, I couldn't tell you where the Star Forge would be from that.”

The Admiral nodded, disappointed with her answer. “Alright. I think you've answered what you could. Thank you, Bastila.”

She nodded, and then bowed to the Masters and left.

*****

Sinking down on the bed in her quarters at the Temple, Bastila sighed deeply. She knew no one was really satisfied with her answers, but there were just some details she couldn't reveal. Tucking her feet up under her, she tried to focus on the smoldering ember in the back of her mind that she'd come to recognize as Revan. Somehow through their efforts of helping each other fight off the Star Forge's power, a bond had been forged between them. She tenuously felt along that bond, reaching out to him. Bastila winced as she felt the wall of dark, raw emotion that clouded his mind.

Bastila pulled back, feeling her chest tighten at the thought of what must have happened to him to drive him to that state. She shook her head, part of her mind tried to convince her that she shouldn't care, reminding her that he was a Sith Lord and that he was dangerous. But she remembered the Revan she had seen, what he'd done to keep her from harm while she was with him. She took a deep breath and felt herself blush as other memories and thoughts came to mind as well.

It was impossible to accept that the Revan she knew couldn't still be reached, there had to be some hope for him, if she could just get a chance to find it. She refused to believe that he was completely lost, even now. But she didn't know what she could do about it being back on Coruscant. She remembered what Rylla had told her before she'd left. _“If you love him, don’t give up on him.”_

Could it really be what she was feeling? She thought wryly to herself. _Leave it to me to fall in love with a Sith Lord._ She nodded. It was the only explanation, and she knew Rylla was right. She couldn't give up on him, even if he had already given up on himself.

*****

Two weeks later, Bastila found herself walking through the Room of a Thousand Fountains trying to calm her mind. She spotted Master Vandar sitting beneath a small cluster of Blba trees, and she approached quietly. He looked as troubled as she felt in her own heart.   
  
“Master Vandar?” She settled down on the grass beside him.

He looked over, and smiled, though it was a tired, strained smile. “Hello Bastila. What can I do for you?”

She studied him, “You seem troubled Master, what's wrong?”

He sighed deeply, “I am troubled. My heart and my mind are conflicted. They are not able to agree on something.”

She waited patiently and remained silent. He frowned, and continued.

“The Republic has decided that the only way to end this war is for Revan to die. Since the attempt to capture him alive failed and only resulted in the loss of the team, and your capture, they aren't willing to try such a thing again. If they're able to catch his flagship in battle, they plan to see it destroyed, and him with it.”

Bastila bit her tongue to keep from reacting, though her heart nearly stopped when he'd said they wanted Revan dead. She struggled to keep her own thoughts hidden from the Master, and finally managed to speak. “So they're convinced there is no other option?”

He shook his head sadly, “Unless he could be convinced to surrender or to stop the war somehow, but I don't see that happening. Revan doesn't do things without a reason. If he's determined to do this, he won't stop until he's finished.” He bowed his head, “I just wish there was some other way. He was my student, you know.”

She looked at him, “Aren't most Jedi your students?”

He chuckled, “Perhaps now, but at the time he was my Padawan, and so incredibly gifted...” He shook his head, “I don't know where things went wrong.”

She took a deep breath, and reached over to put a gentle hand on his arm. “Trust the Force, Master. I'm sure things will work out.”

He nodded, “Yes. You're right. I must trust in the Force. Thank you, Bastila.”

*****

Bastila sat in the middle of the floor of her quarters in the Temple. Her mind refused to settle as she tried to meditate. The idea of Revan being hunted down and killed by the Republic frightened her. She had to find a way to stop it from happening.

Suddenly a strange beeping distracted her. Finally she found the source, a comlink in the pouch the Admiral had given her when she left the Star Forge. She turned it on.

“Yes?”

“Bastila?”

Her eyes widened, “Admiral Blair?”

“Yes, I hope you're alone.”

“I am. Admiral, the Republic is planning to kill Revan if they get a chance.”

His sigh was audible. “That doesn't surprise me. Bastila, I'm on Coruscant, disobeying orders actually and will likely get myself killed but I had to risk it. Is there any way you can get away from the Temple? Revan has to be stopped, I agree with that, but I think we can do it without him getting killed. However, I'm fairly certain that you're the only person that could possibly reach him.”

She thought for a moment. “I believe I can slip out of the Temple, where do I need to go?”

“Meet me at the spaceport. I have a transport already set up.”

“Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can.”

Two hours later she found the Admiral pacing near a small transport ship.

“You're a pleasant sight.” He smiled. “I'm glad you came.”

She nodded, “I couldn't exactly say no. I don't want Revan to be killed if we can stop it.”

He nodded and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, “Come on, I'll fill you in on the way.”

When they had settled into their seats and the ship had taken off, he began.

“Revan is really losing himself. Day by day I've watched him falling further and further, and I can't reach him anymore. He's not wiling to listen to me on anything now. Everyone's pretty much walking on eggshells around him since he's prone to snapping and killing people for little or no reason. I won't deny this is risky for both of us, Bastila. If he finds out I brought you, he'll likely kill me. Also, I'm afraid I can't guarantee how he'll react when he sees you, so you're likely just as much at risk. If there was any other way I'd try it. I don't want to see you get hurt, but I think if anyone in this galaxy is going to be able to get past the Sith Lord and reach _Revan_ , it would be you.”

She thought over what he'd said, and then nodded, “I understand the dangers Admiral, and its worth the risk. If you can get me close to him, I'll try to help him. I believe there is still hope for him, and I won't give up on him.”

He smiled, “For a short time he's overseeing the final stages of a project he's got going. So he's actually planetside, not on his flagship or the Star Forge. That makes it probably the best shot we have of getting you close enough to him without you being detected. It's also a good distance from the Star Forge, so maybe that will help you be able to reach him.”

“I hope so. I'll do my best.”

*****

They had made it through the facility without being questioned. Bastila had slipped a Sith uniform on over her robes to avoid notice, and with the Admiral leading the way, no one stopped them. Reaching the corridor outside Revan's quarters, she took the Sith uniform off, and nodded.

“I'm as ready as I'm going to get.”

He nodded, “Good luck and may the Force be with you.”

She smiled briefly and took a deep breath. The Admiral entered the key code that opened the door, and Bastila stepped through.

Taking a quick look around, she saw Revan staring out the window overlooking the construction below. He turned, and she recoiled as she felt the darkness shrouding his mind. His eyes had turned a deep feral shade of amber as she found herself locked in his gaze.

“Get out,” he growled.

She swallowed hard and strengthened her resolve. “No. I am not leaving, and you're not going to chase me away this time, Revan.”

“Leave, or I kill you. You're choice, Jedi.”

“Then you'll just have to kill me.” She stood defiantly, despite the fear gnawing at her as she felt his power rippling through the Force.

He snarled, and hurled a fierce blast of lightning at her. She shielded herself with the Force, but knew she wasn't strong enough to withstand many attacks like that. Sadly she also realized there would be no HK-47 to tranquilize Revan this time. It was all on her. She would either die, or find some way to reach the part of him that still hadn't been consumed by darkness.

“Revan, I'm not here to fight you. Please, just listen to me.”

He shook his head, “You were a fool to come. You don't belong here.”

“I am not going to give up on you, Revan.”

The air crackled with lightning as another wave slammed against her shields. He paced back and forth in front of her, reminding her of a caged animal, especially with those disturbing yellow eyes.

“What? You came here thinking you're going to save me? You're wasting your time,” he snarled.

She shook her head, “I'm willing to take the chance, to save you from yourself. I _know_ there's still hope for you, Revan. You just don't want to see it because you've given up on yourself.”

“There is no such thing as hope,” he snapped bitterly.

Another ferocious ball of lightning crashed against her Force shield, and she struggled to strengthen it as it faltered.

“There is _always_ hope, Revan. No matter how dark things get, _no one_ is beyond hope, not even you.”

She took another step closer, her grey eyes meeting his cold gaze. Bastila moved closer still, taking a chance. He closed his eyes and looked away.

“You're wrong. Last chance, leave now.”

Bastila straightened herself up and braced herself as well as she could. “Kill me if you're going to, _Darth_ Revan.” She closed her eyes, and knelt down. “However, I don't think the _real_ Revan will.” This was it, she realized she was gambling with her life, but she wasn't strong enough to actually fight him. Either she reached him with her words and actions, or he'd kill her.

Glancing back up at him, she thought she saw something flickering deep in his eyes as he looked at her again. Bastila braced herself, but she was already feeling the effort of trying to shield herself, and knew it wouldn't last. Revan growled and the air nearly sizzled between them as the vicious wave of lightning slammed into her, ripping through her shield. She cried out as the attack set every nerve in her body on fire with pain. Bastila gasped trying to force air into her lungs again despite the excruciating pain that answered the effort. It took every ounce of strength and courage she could muster to meet his feral gaze once more.

Proud and defiant, even with the amount of pain he knew she had to be in. Suffering because of him, because she _cared_ about him. He looked at her again. Even now, she trusted him, _believed_ in him, no matter how badly he'd hurt her. It would have been so easy to finish her. It _should_ have been easy to kill her. So why was she still alive? His heart and mind wrestled with one another, as the shadows fought to regain their foothold.

_No_. He told himself. He couldn't do it. She was right. Revan turned away from her and slammed one gloved hand into the wall, ignoring the lancing pain that told him bones had broken. He sank to his knees.

“Damn it Bastila, _why_? Why couldn't you just walk away and forget me? Why did you have to come back?”

Bastila winced from the lingering pain of the lightning as she shakily stood up again. She slowly walked over and knelt down beside him, putting one gentle hand on his shoulder.

“I already told you. I'm here because I refuse to give up on you.”

He looked over at her, and she could feel the conflict raging through him as the shadows struggled to pull him down again. She determinedly shoved them back, refusing to let go just as she finally reached him.

He pulled away and stood, his back against the wall. “I almost killed you.”

She stood and walked over to face him. “You didn't.”

“I could have.”

She nodded, “But you _didn't_. Revan, I'm not going to give up on you. _Please_ , fight it. Don't give up on yourself. It doesn't have to be this way.”

He sighed, “It is too late for me, Bastila.”

“I do not believe that, Revan.” She stepped closer and put one hand on his chest and felt him flinch even under his armor. Bastila grew even more determined. She felt along the bond that had formed, and reached out to him. _Revan?_

She noticed a brief widening of his eyes as he focused his gaze on her. _Bastila. Don't. Just leave, please._

Bastila shrugged. “It's too late for that. I'm not leaving.”

She looked into his eyes, searching, and she almost thought she saw a hint of sapphire for a brief second. She realized the full truth of what she'd just said. Even if she wanted to, it would be too late to return to the Republic. They'd have discovered her absence by now, and would already assume she'd left to warn Revan of their plans. Finding her courage again, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him tense at the touch as he inhaled sharply and closed his eyes. Bastila just put her head against his chest, and continued hugging him.

Revan felt the warmth of her presence wash over him like a tidal wave. He clenched his fists tight, almost savoring the pain in his left hand that reminded him of the broken bones. Revan looked back down at her, as she looked up to meet his eyes. He felt his breath catch as he saw the sincere concern and compassion in her soft grey eyes, but even beyond that he saw something else.

“Be careful, Jedi. Don't start something you don't want me to finish.”

She smiled as she saw the amber fading from his eyes, though the smoldering deep sapphire that replaced it stirred her emotions even more. In a bold move, she reached up and kissed him.

Revan nearly purred as he felt the fire of that kiss racing through his body. As Bastila pulled back, he shifted and turned as he slid one arm around her so that she had to turn with him. The move effectively pinned her against the wall as Revan kissed her again, not bothering to hide the passion he felt. He put one hand under her chin and searched her cloud grey eyes once more.

Leaning close, he whispered. “Are you really sure you want to do that? I am the Dark Lord after all.”

She tilted her head and stated matter-of-factly, “No. You are Revan.”

That brought a half smile to his face, “Glad one of us is still sure about that.”

Bastila smiled warmly and lightly caressed his cheek. “Revan, sometimes even the strongest person still needs help. You don't have to fight this alone. Please, let me help you.”

He closed his eyes and leaned into the gentle touch. He sighed, “You realize you're crossing a point of no return if you stay with me, regardless of what happens.”

She nodded, “I already crossed that point when I came. The Republic is planning to kill you if they get a chance to destroy your flagship. They'll assume I've come to warn you anyway when they find out I'm gone. None of them really believed I wasn't turned into your apprentice or some such while I was on the Star Forge with you.”

He frowned, “I'm sorry.”

She took hold of his left hand, and pulled the glove off. He winced slightly but let her run her fingers over the broken bones. He felt the comforting ebb and flow of the Force as she focused on healing his hand. When she'd finished, she looked up at him and smiled.

“I'm not.”

Revan pulled away and turned from her. His gaze drifted out the window but was not focused on anything. A wry smile tugged at his lips.

“So, my would-be savior, you face the enmity of both Republic and Council to come here only to risk life and limb in the attempt to bring me to my senses in the hopes of saving my miserable soul from its inevitable fate.” He sighed and turned back to look at her. “Why?”

Bastila met his steady gaze, reading a myriad of emotions flickering in his eyes. “I believe that all life is precious. Even that of a Sith Lord.”

He frowned, “Spare me the Jedi speeches, Bastila. Why are _you_ here?”

She lifted her chin slightly as she took a step closer to him. “What do you want me to say, Revan? That no matter how hard I've tried I couldn't get you out of my mind. That I care about what happens to you because I saw a glimpse of the _real_ you, not the Sith Lord the Republic wants to stop.” She took a deep breath, feeling herself shiver beneath his intense gaze. She felt the color rising in her cheeks and looked away. “I can't explain it, Revan. All I know is that I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to, and if I'm honest, I don't want to. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I've never known anyone who could affect me as strongly as you do.”

Revan studied her for a long moment. “You know that being with me is not safe.”

She nodded, “I know.”

He gave her a mischievous grin, “As I recall, we Sith Lords aren't supposed to be polite either.”

Her cheeks flushed anew at the memory of her accusation against him. “It could be that I was mistaken in that.”

He smiled, closing the distance between them. “Perhaps.” Revan tilted his head, “Would I be mistaken in the assumption that my kiss earlier was not unwelcome?”

Bastila's eyes widened slightly at the question, and she found herself distracted by the closeness of him. Finally, she managed to shake her head. “No.”

Revan slid his ungloved left hand around her waist, letting it rest against the small of her back as he pulled her against him. “One of the many differences I've noticed between Jedi and Sith is that Jedi seem to be unable to admit what they really want, but Sith aren't so inhibited.”

“Oh? What do you want then?”

She looked up and his deep, smoldering sapphire eyes met hers, and Bastila's heart nearly skipped a beat.

“You really want me to answer that?” He smirked.

She swallowed against the tightness in her chest and nodded.

Revan smiled and leaned close, his lips nearly brushing her ear as he whispered softly, “I have wanted you since the moment you set foot on the bridge of my flagship.”

Bastila shivered, despite the fire spreading through her. “You had several chances...” She left the thought unfinished as she felt him tense.

He let go of her and walked over to the window. “Bastila, I am guilty of doing many things over the years, but there are some things that I will _not_ do. Granted, those who follow me don't necessarily need to know that.”

He removed his other glove, and then the rest of his armor. When he turned to face her again, he was clad only in a pale grey tunic and black pants. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall beside the window.

A scowl crossed his face at remembered thoughts and he shook his head. “Force knows Malak did enough of that for both of us. However, despite what rumors the Republic might have spread about me, I do have limits of what I will or won't do.”

She arched one eyebrow up at him. “A Sith Lord with moral standards? No wonder the Republic can't figure you out.”

He chuckled, “Well, I never said I was trying to make it easy for them.” His expression grew thoughtful and he watched her. “So that still leaves the question, what do _you_ want, Bastila?”

Bastila considered the question. Thoughts and emotions tumbled over each other in her mind, but as she looked at him, she had to admit she already knew the answer. Taking a deep breath, she crossed the room to where he stood. It amused her to notice that, as he tilted his head watching her, the same unruly strand of his hair that she remembered fell forward over the edge of his left eye. Bastila reached up and gently brushed the strand of hair back in place as she met his expectant gaze.

“I want you, Revan.”

Revan smiled and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss as he slipped his arms around her. The intensity of the kiss and his desire that echoed along their bond left her breathless. When he finally took half a step back from her, he arched one eyebrow at her in a silent invitation. Bastila reached out, fighting to keep her hands steady as her fingers brushed over his chest before she coaxed his tunic free of him. As the shirt dropped to the floor, she found her hands caught in his as he pulled her closer. He let go of her hands as she leaned against him, slipping his arms around her waist, he let his eyes close briefly, enjoying the feel of her closeness. Bastila inhaled deeply as she rested her head against his chest, noticing the subtle spiciness of his scent. Her hands gently traced the taut muscles across Revan's back as she wrapped her arms around him.

Bastila felt her heart pounding in her chest as Revan's hands slipped beneath her shirt. His fingers lightly caressed her skin for a moment before he deftly removed the garment and leaned in to kiss her neck. A startled gasp escaped her lips as Revan used the Force to relieve her of the rest of her clothing. He smiled as she looked up at him wide eyed, and swept her up into his arms and carried her over to his bed.

Her breath caught in her chest as she felt the soft sheets against her back when he laid her down. She looked up at him and nearly lost herself in his deep, molten sapphire eyes. His grace and gentleness belied the raw strength and power evident in the muscles that rippled smoothly beneath his skin as she watched him move.

Revan shed the rest of his own clothing and slid into the bed beside her. Bastila felt her heart racing so hard she was sure he could even hear it. He captured her lips in another passionate kiss as he lightly caressed down her side. Her body trembled against him as he trailed kisses down the side of her neck to the hollow of her throat.

She felt the featherlight touch of his mind through their bond. _Nervous?_

Her cheeks flushed crimson and she hesitantly nodded. She felt him smile against her skin briefly.

_Just relax. I promise I'll be gentle._

Bastila felt the fire surge through her senses as he moved to cover her body with his. Their eyes met again and she felt the last uncertain thread of doubt fade. She relaxed and yielded herself fully to the Dark Lord's passions.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Admiral Kern scowled as he regarded the Jedi Master.

“Master Vandar, I'm hearing rumors that your Padawan, Bastila, is missing. Is it true?”

The diminutive Jedi nodded solemnly. “Yes, she is missing.”

“Do you have any idea where she could be?” Dodonna asked.

Vandar shook his head.

Commander Onasi stood, “With all due respect, Master Jedi, I am pretty sure I have a good idea where she's gone, and I think you do too but don't want to admit it.”

“Carth?” Admiral Dodonna turned to him.

“Admiral, am I really the only one who sees the obvious?” He leaned forward, his hands resting on the large conference table. “She's gone back to Revan.”

The gathered Jedi Masters looked at one another, and Vandar sighed. “It is a possibility, but we know nothing certain of her whereabouts at this time.”

“Well, I think until we know otherwise, it may be prudent to assume that Commander Onasi's guess is correct.” Kern frowned. “Which means he'll be privy to anything she heard as far as what we were planning regarding him.”

The other military leaders nodded grimly.

General Heath stood, “Still, even if he's expecting it, I think the only way we're going to stop this war is to take out Revan. Does it truly change our plans that much?”

Admiral Kern regarded them all and shook his head, “No, we need to see to it that Revan dies. With him out of the picture, the Sith faction would likely splinter and fall apart.”

Vandar frowned, his heart growing heavy with the realization that he would be outnumbered if he voiced his concerns. Instead, he simply turned and excused himself from the gathering.

*****

Bastila woke, smiling as she felt Revan's sleeping form beside her. She shifted slightly and propped herself up on one elbow. Her eyes were drawn once more to the scar on his chest, and she frowned at the remembered memory.

“What?”

She almost started at the simple question. Bastila looked up to meet Revan's curious eyes. “I thought you were still asleep.”

He grinned, “I sleep very lightly. Comes with the job.” He caught her hand where she'd gently placed it against his chest near the scar.

She glanced back to his chest, “Your father did that?”

He tensed, and regarded her closely.

“I'm sorry, Revan. I somehow picked up part of your memory of what happened while I was on the Star Forge.”

Revan sighed, “Ah, yeah that would explain it, with the bond forming between us at that point.” He stretched and folded his hands behind his head. “Yes, my father did it. I was five. If it hadn't been for my mother's talent as a healer, it would have killed me.”

“Why would he do such a thing?” She frowned.

He shrugged. “My father was Sith. He had served under Exar Kun in his war years ago. We were training and I held back, which he perceived as mercy. Mercy is a weakness in the eyes of the Sith teachings, and was unacceptable to him. He was also disappointed that my mother healed me instead of leaving me to fend for myself or die trying. When I was seven, she risked her life defying his wishes and took me to the Jedi on Coruscant, hoping I wouldn't follow my father's footsteps.” A wry smile played over his lips. “Ironic when you think about it. My father followed a Sith Lord. I became one.”

Bastila saw the dark flicker of regret and sorrow cloud his eyes. “That isn't who you are, Revan.”

He shifted his gaze to meet her soft grey eyes. “Isn't it? Do you forget so easily what I must be when I step outside this room?”

She frowned, “I've heard plenty of gruesome stories about you Revan, I haven't forgotten anything.”

He sighed and sat up. “I'm sure there are plenty of things being said by the Republic. They have to justify killing me after all. However, you would be safe in believing at least half of those stories, Bastila. I have done a lot of things over the years that I'm not exactly proud of, but they were necessary.”

Bastila tilted her head, “Why?”

He looked away from her for a moment. “I was able to pull together a broken, fragmented, scattered faction of Sith and unite them into a solid, formidable empire. How do you think I accomplished that, Bastila? It wasn't through being kind or merciful. Sith are not loyal for the sake of loyalty or out of a sense of duty like the Jedi are. Sith are only loyal when they fear or respect someone because they've accepted that someone is stronger than they are. The moment those who follow me think I've gone soft, or gotten weak, I'm facing a gauntlet of challenges until I prove that they're wrong.”

Revan ran his fingers through his hair, and glanced back at her. “Do you even realize the seriousness of this situation?”

Bastila chewed her bottom lip briefly, “What do you mean?”

He chuckled and leaned over to kiss her. “You have no idea how completely you've just complicated my life do you?”

She frowned and lowered her eyes. He sighed softly and reached over to lift her chin until she was looking up at him again.

“Bastila, I wasn't complaining. Just stating a fact. I love you, regardless.” He pulled her against his chest and held her. “For one thing, I've just put my life in your hands.”

She tilted her head to look at him, confusion furrowing her brows. He smiled, and ran his fingers through her tousled hair.

“I never let _anyone_ get this close to me, Bastila, for a reason. Anyone this close to me is close enough to kill me, but I'm putting my life in your hands, trusting that you won't.”

Her eyes widened as she understood. “Of course I wouldn't, Revan. Not after working so hard to keep you from destroying yourself.”

He shrugged, “Everyone is a potential threat. That's why I'm always so paranoid and suspicious, it's what keeps me alive most of the time. There's always someone wanting to kill me, and many that will try. Keeping people at a distance minimizes how many get a chance.”

“How can you live like that?”

He gave her a lopsided half grin, “Welcome to my world, Bastila. Which leads us to the second big complication we need to deal with.”

She sat up and looked at him, “What?”

Revan glanced at the door, “Outside this room, I am and must be the Dark Lord. You are a Jedi. Many of my followers are aware that I had you once, and let you go. I suffered a week of near constant challenges and accusations of being unfit to lead the Sith after that. How do you think I'm going to explain you being back?”

Bastila frowned, the weight of his words hitting her hard. “They'd be expecting you to kill me or break me.”

He nodded. “Unless we can convince them that I already had.”

She looked at him, arching one eyebrow.

“It's not an idea that is going to be pleasant for either of us though it will be more difficult for you. But I was thinking about it all night, after you fell asleep. We could explain your leaving the Star Forge in that I'd given you a task, a test of loyalty of some sort. Now that you've presumably completed the task, you return to officially take your place at my side as my apprentice. It's the only thing people would believe, but can you be convincing at it?”

Bastila looked thoughtful. “I'm not sure, Revan.”

He slid out of bed, pulling the loose black pants back on. “I'll be completely honest, Bastila. I had entertained thoughts of you becoming my apprentice when I first planned on capturing you.” He glanced back at her and smirked, “Even then you started complicating my plans. I should have known you'd be trouble.”

She looked up and tilted her head, “Oh?”

He nodded, “I found myself unwilling to do it. I realized after I had you that I couldn't hurt you, that I didn't _want_ to see you becoming a Sith.” He sighed, “But now your survival, at least for the immediate moment, is going to hinge on how well you can pretend to be a Sith, without letting it actually change you. If you lose yourself, there won't be anyone else to stop me from falling again.”

She swallowed hard, coming to understand the full reality of what he said.

Revan handed her a small bundle. “Nonetheless, I had made preparations, and I suppose it's a good thing since they'll be useful now.”

She opened the bundle and raised one eyebrow at him upon seeing the outfit. He grinned, “What? You can't go around looking like a Jedi if you're going to make people think you're my apprentice.”

Bastila sighed and changed into the new clothes. Snugly fitting black leggings tucked into her boots, and a well cut tunic of black and silver with a dark grey belt completed the outfit. She turned around, and then looked over at him.

He smiled, “Perfect, if I do say so myself. Work through your basic forms, make sure you can move well enough in it.”

She nodded and dropped into the rhythm of footwork and twisting motions that had become habit for her. When she finished, she nearly lost her balance as she found Revan right beside her, flowing through the same motion.

He nodded, “What do you think?”

“Comfortable enough since I'm already used to my robes being a bit more snug than is typical. I'm glad their cut is at least tasteful, though the color will take time to get used to.”

He chuckled, “Well, I would offer that I was looking to preserve your modesty, but in truth, I'm simply no good at sharing. No one else needs to see what's under those clothes.”

She gave him a look and shook her head. “Naturally.”

He pointed at her lightsaber where she'd sat it the night before. “You'll need to change that too. No self respecting Sith would walk around with a yellow saber.”

She frowned, “What do you suggest?”

Revan crossed the room, opened a small box on his desk and tossed her a small dark colored crystal. “Change that one for the yellow one, and try it.”

She caught it deftly and pulled her lightsaber to her. Settling down on the floor, cross legged, Bastila began to concentrate on what was needed to change the color crystal. Once she'd settled the new crystal in place, and reassembled the saber she stood and ignited it.

She smiled over at him, “It's not red.”

He shrugged, “Being the Dark Lord has its privileges. I make the rules, but don't have to follow them. Mine aren't red either.” He pulled his sabers to him and both snapped to life in his hands. One was a fierce burning orange, a shade darker than the orange that now burned in Bastila's saber. The other was a vivid glowing violet. He nodded at her saber, “You can claim it as part of your reward for pleasing me so well.”

She caught the smug smirk on his face and sighed, “As long as they don't learn just how I accomplished that, hm?”

He laughed, “No doubt there will be some rumors to that effect. It's one thing you'll just have to prepare yourself for. People are going to try to challenge you once I announce you as my apprentice. Sith are always ambitious, and there will be some who believe they deserve the position more than you do and will try to challenge you for it. Stay close to me as much as possible, and I can block most of them. However, you are going to need to be able to handle yourself in the event we do become separated for some reason. I don't have time to start it now, but I can begin teaching you some of the basic Sith fighting techniques and lightsaber forms. It'll help you be more convincing as well as being more prepared for any fight if it comes to that.”

She nodded. “Alright. So what's the plan?”

Revan gathered up the rest of his clothes and armor, and began putting everything back on. “First thing is I have a disobedient Admiral that I need to deal with.”

Her eyes went wide, “Revan, don't be angry with Davon, please, he did what he thought was right. I couldn't have gotten here without his help.”

He looked over at her before he slipped his mask on. “Bastila, remember that if you're going to be convincing as my apprentice you have to be able to control your emotions. You can't show that you care about people, you can't show that anything I say or do bothers you in any way. And regardless of his reasons, Admiral Blair did disobey my direct, express orders.”

She bit her lip, but nodded.

Revan flipped on his comlink. “Admiral Blair.”

“Yes, Lord Revan?”

“Your presence is required in my office, immediately.”

“Of course, Lord. On my way.” came the crisp reply.

Revan nodded and put the comlink back in his pocket, and motioned for Bastila to follow him. “This is going to be your first test, Bastila. You must pass this if you're going to have any chance of staying here in any measure of safety.”

She swallowed hard, “I'll try.”

He led the way across the corridor to a stark, lightly furnished office. Bastila followed his direction and settled into a chair beside the desk, while he positioned himself in front of it. He stood, arms folded across his chest, and Bastila was sharply reminded of just who he really was. For all that they had shared, the truth remained. Outside his private quarters, Revan _was_ the Dark Lord of the Sith.

The Admiral entered the room, and snapped sharply to attention as Revan stepped toward him.

“Lord Revan, you wished to see me?” The Admiral's eyes strayed briefly to Bastila before returning to watch the Dark Lord.

Revan nodded, “It seems, Admiral, that I have an officer who has taken it upon himself to disobey my orders. Not just one, but three specific and detailed direct orders given to him.”

The old Admiral stood stoically, his expression carefully schooled to impassiveness. He simply watched his Lord and waited.

“Admiral, what is the usual price of disobedience?”

Davon took a deep breath, but his voice remained calm and steady. “My Lord, the punishment for disobeying orders is typically death.”

Revan studied him carefully behind his mask. “Do you believe this disobedient officer could be unaware of the consequences of such actions?”

Admiral Blair's hazel eyes flickered briefly but he shook his head, “No, my Lord. I believe that any officer serving you would be fully aware of the consequences of disobedience or failure.”

Revan took a step closer to him. “Admiral Blair, did I not give you very detailed, and very specific orders regarding the Jedi Bastila Shan?”

He nodded, “Yes, my Lord.”

Revan paced in front of him for a moment, and then faced him again, “Yet, you deliberately chose to disregard my orders, and you brought Bastila here, putting her in considerable danger.”

Davon swallowed hard, but nodded, “Yes, my Lord. I did so.”

“Do you expect me to ignore that? Am I to allow such disobedience without consequence?” Revan studied him closely.

Davon focused on the mask, feeling Revan's cold glare upon him. “My Lord Revan, I did what I felt was necessary for your own good. I do not expect, nor ask for any special consideration. I disobeyed orders, and did so fully aware of the consequences of my actions, and I am fully prepared to accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.”

Bastila struggled to keep her expression impassive, especially when the Admiral's gaze drifted to her briefly again before he looked back to Revan. Her heart ached to think that by helping her, he could lose his own life.

The cold snap-hiss of one of Revan's sabers drew her attention up as her heart nearly stopped. Revan stood, the tip of his saber poised only inches from the Admiral. Sweat shone on the old officer's forehead, but his calm hazel eyes looked to his Lord, and he nodded.

“As you will, my Lord.”

Revan glanced over his shoulder at Bastila. She had risen to her feet, and her eyes focused on him briefly before she looked away, focusing her gaze elsewhere. She fought to keep her thoughts from showing on her face. He nodded approvingly.

The saber vanished, and he turned to the Admiral. “I expect that there will never be a repeat of your disobedience.”

Davon allowed himself a deep breath and regarded the Dark Lord more closely, “I can assure you my Lord, that such a thing will only happen again if it should prove necessary to do so.”

Revan grinned beneath his mask. “Do what's necessary no matter the cost?” He studied his Admiral. “Sounds like you've been around me far too long, Davon.”

At the sound of his name, and the less menacing tone in Revan's voice, Davon arched one eyebrow upward but took a chance and shifted to an 'at ease' posture. “Guilty as charged, my Lord.”

“Admiral Blair, don't think you're escaping my wrath in this. Your first task as Fleet Admiral is to appoint a new commanding officer for the _Dark Vengeance._ ”

The Admiral blinked, in spite of his practiced control. “I'm to understand I've been promoted, my Lord?”

“Yes, you're now Fleet Admiral of my entire fleet. Go get back to work. You'll be taking your place on the new flagship when its finished, so put someone else on the _Vengeance_.”

Davon snapped back to attention with a sharp salute, “Yes, Lord.” He spun on his heels and left the office.

Bastila sat back down, sighing heavily. Revan turned and leaned against the wall with a smile. “You handled yourself rather well. I know it wasn't easy because Davon is a friend.”

She looked up at him, visibly shaken. “I don't know if I really could have handled it if you'd actually done anything to him.”

He nodded and walked over to her. “I'm sorry, I know this is going to be extremely hard for you. Especially when I do have to do particularly unpleasant things to people. You can't let people think you disapprove of, or disagree with anything I say or do, and you can't appear uncomfortable or disturbed by anything. It will be a little easier once we're on my flagship, but could still be a challenge for you.”

She nodded. “I'll do my best.”

Revan held out a hand to her, “Come on. I think its time you understand what I'm fighting for. You asked me once before why I do what I do.”

She followed as he led the way back into his room. He took his mask off, tucked it into his belt, and then walked over to the small desk against the wall and pulled out a datapad. He handed it to her, his eyes darkened by emotions she couldn't read.

“Read that. You might begin to understand me.” He walked over and settled down in a chair, letting his eyes close.

She took the datapad, and then frowned as she watched him. Finally she moved over to the small sofa across from him and sat down to look at what he'd handed her. By the time she had finished reading it, her face had paled considerably and she shook her head, barely able to believe what she'd seen.

He seemed to sense her thoughts, and looked over at her. “That is the full account of what happened to me; and what I found in the Unknown Regions after I left the Republic following the Mandalorian war.” His eyes still held a distant, almost haunted look at the memories.

She stood and walked over to him. “I'm sorry, Revan.” She gave him back the datapad which he summarily tossed at the desk.

Revan sighed and looked up at her. “Now do you understand? Do you see why I had no choice but to become what I am?”

She sat down beside him and took one of his gloved hands in hers. “Yes, I understand. I'll do whatever I can to help you, but it still doesn't change the fact that I know there is a part of you that has not been lost to the dark path you walk. I am not going to give up on that.”

He smiled warmly, “I'm counting on it, Bastila. I can't do this alone any more. If you let go...” His eyes met hers.

Bastila shook her head firmly. “I won't. I won't let you lose yourself again.”

He nodded and then stood. He put the datapad back in its place and locked the desk again. “Alright. Ready to make people think you're my apprentice?”

She sighed and straightened herself up. “As ready as I'm going to get.”

Revan hugged her gently, “Just remember not to act like a Jedi.” He teased softly.

She nodded, making a face at him. “As you wish, Master.”

*****

The assembled sith fell silent as the Dark Lord stepped out onto the raised dais to address them. However, on seeing the young woman who followed their Lord and now stood at his right hand, there was a whispered wave of murmurs.

Revan noticed the reaction in the crowd as he began to speak. “The work on this project is progressing well, even ahead of schedule. This pleases me greatly, and I expect your efforts to continue to the same standard. The faster we complete this project, the less chance the Republic has to find us before we are ready.” His comments were met with a low murmur of excitement and he waited for the crowd to quiet down again. “However, I have an announcement that pleases me even more.” He motioned for Bastila to step forward. “Bastila has returned from the mission with which I had tasked her. Now that she is back, she is fully prepared to take her rightful place at my side as my apprentice.”

Bastila knelt before him, thankful that he provided quiet cues through their bond. She could also feel his quiet strength radiating from him, and drew on that to bolster her own. On cue, she rose and bowed before returning to her place just behind and to his left side.

Revan had finished his address and turned to leave. She moved to follow him and then stopped as a dark Jedi rushed forward.

“Lord Revan, I demand the right to challenge your apprentice!”

Revan faced him, and Bastila could feel the anger rolling through his mind, echoed through their bond.

“You _demand_?” Revan sneered beneath the mask. “You dare to presume yourself worthy of making demands of _me_?”

Suddenly the would-be challenger faltered, realizing the error of his actions. “No, no my Lord, I would not. I only sought to challenge her that I might prove her unworthy of the prestige.”

The further protests only caused Revan's temper to sour more rapidly.

“You question the worth of my apprentice? So you would dare to question my judgment, _my_ decision on whom shall be my apprentice or not?”

Bastila felt the brewing storm and closed her mind to the echoes from Revan, and braced herself knowing that people would be watching her reaction. Revan had taken a step toward the offender who raised his hands in a stammering attempt to placate the Dark Lord.

Revan gestured casually with one hand and the unfortunate challenger gasped and struggled against the invisible force that held him in the air. Another casual flick of his wrist and the man's body slammed into the ground. One last motion and the crumpled form was tossed aside like a broken rag doll.

He folded his arms over his chest, and glanced over the assembled crowd. “Anyone else wish to question or challenge me?”

Stunned silence was the only answer. He nodded, and then resumed walking. Bastila took a deep breath, struggling to keep thoughts of the event out of her mind. Once they were back within the facility, she tentatively opened her mind to the bond again. Revan's mind was still seething. Gently she reached out to him, and slowly she felt the raging storm calm within him. He led the way back to his quarters, and only slowed his pace once the door had slid shut behind them.

“Thank you.” He offered quietly as Bastila sank into the nearest chair.

She regarded him as he began to remove his armor. Bastila frowned slightly as her mind sought to reconcile the pieces that made up the whole of Revan. It seemed impossible that someone who, by his own admission, was capable of unfathomable brutality could be the same person she had shared such tender moments with the night before. However, she knew it was true. Now she also had some understanding as to _why_ he had chosen the path he did. It cast the Revan she knew in a whole new light, and she found that she admired him even more than she had before.

He turned to see her watching him and tilted his head. “Having second thoughts?”

“Fourth thoughts actually.” She said lightly, smiling to put him at ease, “It doesn't matter, Revan, I meant what I said. You are doing what you have to do. I will do what I have to do to make sure that doing so doesn't destroy you.”

A half-hearted smile flickered over his lips. “I'm not so sure you can entirely prevent that inevitability, Bastila, but I sincerely appreciate your efforts.”

She stood up and walked over to put a gentle hand on his chest. “I refuse to accept it as an inevitability. So, care to fill me in on the project?”

He hugged her tightly and nodded, “I'm building a new flagship.”

“Isn't that what the Star Forge is supposed to do for you?”

He chuckled, “It builds ships, I'm building a better one. It has some aspects of the Star Forge technology but also some new advances my own engineers have developed. It isn't going to look like a flagship, which is the most amusing thing about it. So the Republic can target the _Vengeance_ if they want. I won't be on it.”

Bastila smiled, “Very clever.”

He winked at her, “I thought so. I get good ideas every now and then.”

She looked up at him, “I do believe, my Lord, you said something about teaching me the finer points of being a sith without being a sith?”

He could hear the teasing tone in her voice and grinned. “Indeed. If you are ready we can begin any time. Be warned however, I'm not always a gentle trainer.”

Bastila nodded, “As long as it doesn't involve dodging lightning, I'm sure I can handle it.”

Revan winced at the reminder of how close he'd come to killing her, and he frowned. “I'm really sorry about that, Bas.”

She smiled, “It's alright, I think you made up for it last night.”

He gave her a roguish grin, “Think so?”

“Maybe.” She winked at him.

*****

Admiral Dodonna paced. “It's been two months. How is it possible that we don't know where Revan is, but his forces keep decimating targets around the galaxy?”

Admiral Kern frowned, “Sit down, Forn. I don't know where he's hiding, but I am getting disturbing reports from a few spies we have in place.”

She sat down and sighed “What reports?”

Kern looked significantly at the Jedi Masters, and noticed Vandar's continued absence. “There are reports among his forces that Revan has chosen a new apprentice to serve as his right hand.”

“Do we have any proof of that beyond the reports of spies?” Master Vash asked quietly.

“Not yet, but I'm sure its only a matter of time. I would like to know what is keeping Master Vandar so indisposed that he can't join us.”

“Master Vandar has been needed on Dantooine, and sends his apologies.” Master Zhar offered diplomatically.

The Admiral frowned, but nodded. “We have to find Revan's hiding place. He's still in command, but from where beats me. He's hitting us with at least two or three attacks spread out in such a way that its impossible to respond to more than one at any time, and its taking its toll quickly.”

“I wish we had more to offer, Admiral, but we're unable to discover his location any better than the Republic can.” Vash stated flatly.

*****

Bastila stood quietly at Revan's side as he studied the tactical displays. The fleet was on the move, with the new flagship _Ghost Dragon_ tucked neatly in formation behind the larger and more prominent _Dark Vengeance_.

She had grown to understand the constant struggle that Revan faced. The forced duality that often threatened to tear his soul to pieces was only barely kept at bay with her help. She felt the strain of her own duality as she wore the mantle of his apprentice while still holding tight to her conviction to not let the darkness corrupt her. Their shared private moments provided the release and solace that both needed.

Revan turned and she straightened instinctively, waiting to follow his lead. “Time to introduce the Republic to my new pet.” He grinned beneath the mask. She could hear it in his voice, and nodded.

He left her to finish things on the bridge. After the first day, there had been no further issues of people disobeying orders she relayed, nor had there been any challenges to her or him. So she was more often left to convey instructions while he saw to other matters.

She caught the attention of the helmsman. “Take us to Ruusan.”

“Aye, Lady.” He snapped a quick salute and saw to his duties.

Bastila watched the stars blur as the ship jumped to hyperspace. She turned to Admiral Blair who straightened and caught her slight nod.

“You have the bridge, Admiral.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

She found Revan on the empty observation deck above the bridge. “What's bothering you?”

He turned and shook his head, “Nothing really. Just thinking.”

She moved to stand beside him. “Do you really think you can stop them?”

He frowned, knowing she'd picked up the thread of his thoughts. “I have to.”

She smiled softly, “Determined to save the Republic in spite of itself?”

He nodded, “Someone has to, and we're the only ones who can. We know what's coming.”

Bastila stood quietly for a moment longer, feeling the echoes of his emotions through their bond. “Will you join me?”

Revan shrugged, “In a moment.”

She turned and left him. She had come to learn that sometimes, Revan just had to be alone with his thoughts. He would join her when he was ready. As she made her way to his quarters, Bastila began to wonder if it was a good thing that she'd been able to adapt to his world so easily. She frowned, remembering the state she'd found him in after he'd lost himself. She had to stay strong, because she knew he needed her, and she needed him.

*****

Master Vandar shifted uncomfortably as he looked around the gathered faces. He had avoided the summit meetings for as long as he could, but had run out of plausible excuses for his absence. His heart was still heavy and very troubled, and something in the Admiral's face heralded more bad news.

“Revan's making his moves again. We've confirmed that Revan is with his fleet again, but there's also something more troubling.” Admiral Kern looked at the Jedi Council members. “Bastila is with Revan, as we suspected. This holo-record is from our patrol fleet stationed at Ruusan.”

He nodded and the tech brought up the vid screen. It showed Revan making his demands, and to his right, they could see Bastila standing beside him.

“There's more. We got this report just hours ago from a small fleet near Ord Mantell.” Dodonna added.

The tech displayed the new video.

_Bastila stood calmly as she relayed the message, “Republic fleet. This is Bastila Shan, apprentice to the Dark Lord, Darth Revan. Lord Revan has decided to give you one chance to save yourselves and your ships. Stand down and retreat now. We are taking possession of this system, resistance would only result in your destruction. Consider your options carefully.”_

Commander Onasi scowled, “She's freely calling herself his apprentice, I think that's ample proof.”

Vandar frowned deeply. “Look closely, Commander. Her eyes are not showing the corruption of the Dark Side. It could be that she's not entirely a willing player, but doing what she feels is best for the greater good.”

“By helping Revan?” Carth asked incredulously.

“Master Vandar,” Admiral Dodonna spoke softly, “I understand that Revan was your own Padawan when he was still a Jedi. I can only imagine the difficulty in seeing someone you were close to falling so far, and I'm sure it's difficult to accept that Bastila has also fallen. However, we must face the proof in front of us.”

Vandar sighed, “I feel that there is something more to this than what we are seeing, and what we are missing is very important. I would caution against hasty actions.”

Carth shook his head, “If we keep waiting, we're going to lose the galaxy to Revan. He's already got a significant strategic advantage with the systems he controls now, never mind that his fleet is a lot larger and stronger. We have to eliminate him as soon as possible, and I am sorry if that also means taking out his new apprentice as well.”

The diminutive Jedi stood, “If the Republic is not willing to exercise a bit more patience, then I am afraid I can no longer take part in these discussions.” He turned and left the room. _I can't be party to plotting the murder of two of my students._ His heart ached with the knowledge that he was helpless to stop the juggernaut that the Republic had become, bent on Revan's death as the only solution.

*****

Bastila ducked and rolled under Revan's sweeping attack. She smiled as he adjusted and pressed her again. She was helping him to work off the raging storm of fury that had built up in their last encounter with the Republic. Nimbly she twisted and dove away from him again, pausing to throw a telekinetic strike at him which succeeded in taking him off his feet. He rolled and quickly came up again, poised in a low crouch. His eyes narrowed as he watched her.

Gently she reached out to him through their bond, gauging his temper. He felt the light touch and smiled. He pushed her back, forcing her on the defensive. She moved to slide out of his grasp but felt her herself falling as he pulled her feet out from under her. She landed and rolled, but he was already in motion and pinned her.

Revan grinned as he leaned down and kissed her. “I win.”

“This time.” She said as she worked to calm her breathing after the exercise.

He rolled over, stretching out on his back. “You still amaze me.”

“Oh?” She smiled, propping herself up on one elbow to look at him.

He nodded, “How easily you still manage to pull me back from the edge of the abyss when I stray too close.”

Bastila reached over, lightly tracing over the most recent scars across his ribs. “I'm still amazed at how many scars you end up with despite all that armor you wear.”

He chuckled, “It was designed more with defense against lightsabers in mind. Other weapons still manage to slip through if I'm not careful.”

“Then you need to be more careful.” She chided.

Revan let his eyes close, focusing on the warm gentleness of her touch. “Maybe. Any idea what went wrong with that last battle?”

She frowned, “It felt like something was blocking my battle meditation, but I couldn't pinpoint what. I was unable to push them to retreat.”

He pondered the thought for a moment. Now that he was able to focus past the seething fury that had nearly overwhelmed him, he sought to find reasons for what happened.

“They have to be feeling that loss, their fleet is already small enough, that many capital ships is going to hurt. Maybe they'll see the folly of trying to stand and fight now, though I regret that you weren't able to get them to back down on that one.”

She nodded, “So do I. I've never encountered a situation where my meditation was so totally blocked, that puzzles me.”

“Yeah, another Jedi perhaps?”

She shrugged, “Perhaps, but they're unknown to me if so or they're able to conceal their Force signature.”

“Maybe our newest prisoner will shed some light on the puzzle.” He sat up, running his fingers through his hair.

She sat up and looked at him. “What prisoner?”

He looked over at her, “We recovered an escape pod from one of the ships. I hadn't told you yet, because I was too distracted.”

She frowned, “True, you were. Do you want me with you when you question them?”

Revan took a deep breath. “I may not be very gentle with them, so it depends on if you are up to it.”

“Think I should be near in case you lose perspective again?”

He sighed, “I wouldn't mind if you wish to play conscience again. I'm surprised you haven't tired of me yet.”

She leaned over and kissed him lightly, “Someone has to keep you out of trouble. Come on then, we should get to it.” She stood up and brushed off her clothes and retrieved her saber from where it had fallen.

He grinned, regaining his feet in a fluid motion. He pulled his shirt and armor back on. Bastila watched, and felt the shift in his energy as the burden of his role settled on his shoulders when he slid the mask back in place.

The prisoners were two Republic soldiers, and as Revan stepped into the brig, both stood defiantly in their cells. Bastila sighed inwardly knowing that such attitudes would only make the interrogations more painful for them. Revan wouldn't tolerate the defiance, and he was determined to find out everything they knew that might be of any value to him.

A sith trooper pulled the first prisoner from the cell and shackled him in place in the center of the room, then bowed to Revan and stood quietly by the door. The soldier had been stripped of all but his pants, and as was Revan's custom, the brig was kept significantly colder than the rest of his ship. He glared at Revan, and then turned a disgusted sneer on Bastila.

“So much for the Jedi's prodigy. What's it like being Revan's lapdog?”

Bastila ignored the jibe, and stood quietly, watching Revan. He, however, was not content to let insults pass. He reached out and backhanded the soldier hard. Bastila almost wondered if she'd heard his jaw crack from the force of the blow.

The soldier spat blood and glared at Revan. “Touched a nerve did I? Is that why you took her as your apprentice? To have someone to warm your bed when you've run out of decent women to force yourself on?” He sneered. “She's not your apprentice, she's your personal wh...” The soldier's words died in a strangled gasp.

Bastila could feel the seething white hot rage burning in Revan's mind, just barely held in check. As he ripped his way into the soldier's mind, he was not being gentle about it. Bastila knew by the time Revan was done flaying away layer after layer as he searched for useful information, there would be little of the man's mind left. His body writhed and twisted in pain as Revan continued his relentless assault. Bastila tried to occupy her mind with other thoughts in an attempt to block out the screams.

The second soldier was a little more cooperative, but ultimately suffered the same fate. Revan scowled as he turned, still holding his temper under control, but just barely. She looked over at him, waiting patiently.

“Some useful tidbits of information, but nothing that I really wanted to know. There was nothing in their minds indicating any Jedi presence in the fleet.” He frowned beneath his mask, “So there's still our strange puzzle unanswered.”

She nodded, “Still leaves the chance that there might have been a Jedi present, but not on their particular ship. Maybe the Republic is trying to keep the presence of a Jedi quiet.”

Revan regarded her for a moment. “True, it is still a possibility. I'll have to see if my spies can find anything.”

He led the way from the brig, and back to the bridge. Bastila stood near Admiral Blair, and watched Revan as he paced the bridge restlessly. Unknown factors that complicated his plans bothered him, and would until he solved the puzzle.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
